Zack Wheeler
Rank: 1
ETA: 2013
Position: RHP
Age: 22, DOB: 05/30/1990
Bats: L, Throws: R
Height: 6' 4", Weight: 185
Drafted: 2009, 1st (6) - SF
Wheeler, who came to the Mets from the Giants in the Carlos Beltran trade in 2011, can run his heavy fastball into the mid-90s consistently. His main breaking ball is a curve that has improved to the point of being another potentially plus pitch. Wheeler’s changeup has continued to develop well and gives him another option. He’s struggled with command in the past, though his walk rate plummeted in the second half of 2011 and continued to fall in 2012. A fingernail problem he had in 2010 seems to be a thing of the past and Wheeler was promoted to Triple-A Buffalo on August 4.

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Travis d'Arnaud
Rank: 2
ETA: 2013
Position: C
Age: 23,
DOB: 02/10/1989
Bats: R, Throws: R
Height: 6' 2", Weight: 195
Drafted: 2007, 1st (37) - PHI
Ranked No. 11 on MLB.com's Top 100 Prospects list and No. 1 on the Blue Jays' Top 20 at the time he was traded as part of a package for R.A. Dickey, d'Arnaud is the best catching prospect in the game. He knows what it’s like to be involved in a deal for an ace, having previously gone to Toronto from Philadelphia for Roy Halladay. The backstop has the skills to be an outstanding all-around everyday catcher at the big league level, and he’s just about ready to test them out. Agile and athletic behind the plate, d’Arnaud also has a good arm to help control the running game. The bat really started to come around in 2011 and continued in '12, as d'Arnaud showed the ability to hit for average and power. The only thing that has held him back is injuries, with a knee injury cutting his '12 short and perhaps keeping him from a callup to the big leagues. Assuming health, he should be ready to take over in New York very soon.

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Noah Syndergaard
Rank: 3
ETA: 2014
Position: RHP
Age: 20, DOB: 08/29/1992
Bats: L, Throws: R
Height: 6' 5", Weight: 200
Drafted: 2010, 1st (38) - TOR
Syndergaard was No. 83 on the MLB.com's Top 100 Prospects list and No. 3 on the Blue Jays’ Top 20 at the time of the trade that sent him to New York. The young right-hander had an outstanding full-season debut as he pick was a Midwest League All-Star, finishing third in the league in strikeouts and would have been fourth in ERA had he thrown enough innings to qualify. A hard thrower, Syndergaard is much more than arm strength. The 2010 supplemental first-round does get his fastball into the upper 90s and commands it fairly well. His power breaking ball has the chance to be above-average as it becomes more consistent, and his changeup should also be above average or better. With a strong and projectable frame, he has all the tools to be a frontline starter in the future. All he needs are innings and experience to get there.

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Jeurys Familia
Rank: 4
ETA: 2012
Position: RHP
Age: 22, DOB: 10/10/1989
Bats: R, Throws: R
Height: 6' 4", Weight: 230
Signed: July 13, 2007 - NYM
As the strikeout rate attests, Familia has one of the best power arms in the Mets’ system. He runs his fastball easily into the upper 90s. He’s still more arm strength than anything else, but his success at upper levels shows that his secondary pitches are improving. Familia’s breaking ball should be an average pitch and his changeup, while clearly his third pitch, can keep hitters honest at times. He improved his walk rate and the hope is his overall command will continue to get better. The Mets gave him a chance to show his stuff in the Majors in 2012, where he made his debut on September 4.

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Wilmer Flores
Rank: 5
ETA: 2013
Position: 3B
Age: 21, DOB: 08/06/1991
Bats: R, Throws: R
Height: 6' 3", Weight: 190
Signed: Aug. 6, 2007 - NYM
After 2011, it would be easy to look at Flores' numbers and feel like he'd been disappointing, especially for a highly touted prospect. He quieted doubters in 2012, however, hitting well at the Class A Advanced level and earning a mid-season promotion to Double-A, all at the age of 20. He still has things to learn, particularly in the plate discipline department, but he rarely strikes out and has begin to tap into his power. A shortstop for the first few years of his career, Flores has played all around the infield in 2012, focusing on third base. This has been a big year for Flores, who started turning potential into performance.

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Brandon Nimmo
Rank: 6
ETA: 2014
Position: OF
Age: 19, DOB: 03/27/1993
Bats: L, Throws: R
Height: 6' 3", Weight: 185
Drafted: 2011, 1st (13) - NYM
Known in the past as a fairly conservative organization in the Draft, the Mets went off that script when they selected Nimmo in the first round of 2011. The high schooler was one of the best stories of the Draft, the first-ever first-round pick from Wyoming. Story aside, Nimmo can flat-out play. A premium athlete, he has the chance to be an outstanding hitter, with power, from the left side of the plate. He has excellent speed and is a pretty good outfielder. It would be easy to think someone coming from Wyoming would be a bit raw, but don’t be surprised if Nimmo can move faster than people initially anticipated.

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Gavin Cecchini
Rank: 7
ETA: 2016
Position: SS
Age: 18, DOB: 12/22/1993
Bats: R, Throws: R
Height: 6' 1", Weight: 180
Drafted: 2012, 1st (12) - NYM
Cecchini joined his brother Garin, a 2010 draftee of the Red Sox, in the pro game when the Mets took him in the first round. While Garin might have more pop, Garin has more speed and should be able to stay up the middle defensively. He has a quick swing and extends well, making consistent hard contact. He has gap power now and he’s a basestealing threat thanks to his speed and his outstanding instincts. That helps him defensively as well, allowing his average arm and range to play up. Some think he’ll be a second baseman when all is said and done, though the Mets sent him out as a shortstop to the Appalachian League for his summer debut and there won’t be any plans to move him any time soon.

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Cesar Puello
Rank: 8
ETA: 2013
Position: OF
Age: 21, DOB: 04/01/1991
Bats: R, Throws: R
Height: 6' 2", Weight: 195
Signed: July 2, 2007 - NYM
The Mets are often aggressive in moving their international prospects up the ladder quickly, and Puello seems to be responding. His bat really stands out and the power many projected from him has started to show up. It will come even more as he learns to recognize pitches better. Puello has very good speed, and as he learns the game more, he should provide at least some basestealing ability. He has played both center and right field and it’s the latter that will most likely be his home. He has the arm, and the future bat, to profile well there. Puello missed nearly two months of 2012 with a broken left hamate bone in late May and a hamstring injury in late July, but he returned to action on August 4.

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Reese Havens
Rank: 9
ETA: 2013
Position: 2B
Age: 25, DOB: 10/20/1986
Bats: L, Throws: R
Height: 6' 1", Weight: 195
Drafted: 2008, 1st (22) - NYM
When he was drafted out of the University of South Carolina in 2008, the hope was Havens would be a college player who'd move quickly. Injuries have been the biggest obstacle, with Havens playing over 61 games for just the first time in four seasons in 2012. In previous years Havens had shown a good approach at the plate and a solid all-around bat, although he struggled a bit in Double-A in 2012. Still, he's played well at second after being a shortstop in college and if he can stay on the field he could be ready for New York soon.

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Michael Fulmer
Rank: 10
ETA: 2015
Position: RHP
Age: 19, DOB: 03/15/1993
Bats: R, Throws: R
Height: 6' 3", Weight: 200
Drafted: 2011, 1st (44) - NYM
As the third-best high-school pitcher in Oklahoma in 2011, Fulmer didn’t get much attention, what with fellow Sooners Dylan Bundy and Archie Bradley going in the top 10 of the Draft. But Fulmer has good stuff of his own, a power arm who can crank it up into the mid-to-upper 90s, and he has shown that in his first full season. He throws a hard slider along with it and he’ll work to develop a changeup. He has a bulldog mentality on the mound and goes right after hitters. Fulmer needs some polish, but if it all comes together, that power arsenal will look very good in the Mets’ rotation one day.

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Rafael Montero
Rank: 11
ETA: 2015
Position: RHP
Age: 21, DOB: 10/17/1990
Bats: R, Throws: R
Height: 6' 0", Weight: 170
Signed: Jan. 20, 2011 - NYM
Montero went from the Dominican Summer League to the Gulf Coast League before making stops in the Appalachian and New York-Penn Leagues to finish off a very successful first season as a professional. He picked up 2012 where he left off, excelling in the South Atlantic League and earning a promotion to Class A Advanced St. Lucie after 12 starts. The Dominican right-hander has the chance to have a good three-pitch mix with his fastball, curve and changeup, though the secondary pitches need work behind his fastball. He is advanced in that he commands all of his pitches and can throw all of them for strikes. After reaching an innings limit set by the Mets organization, Montero was shut down on August 11.

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Domingo Tapia
Rank: 12
ETA: 2015
Position: RHP
Age: 20, DOB: 12/16/1991
Bats: R, Throws: R
Height: 6' 4", Weight: 186
Signed: Dec. 16, 2009 - NYM
Tapia has plenty of projection and already possesses a plus-plus fastball, one that has touched triple digits at times. He throws it with a lot of sink and commands it fairly well, generating a good amount of ground balls as a result. His secondary stuff isn’t close to his heater, though his curve and changeup have a chance to be decent pitches down the line. He has a long way to go, but it’s hard not to like his upside.

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Juan Lagares
Rank: 13
ETA: 2013
Position: OF
Age: 23, DOB: 03/17/1989
Bats: R, Throws: R
Height: 6' 1", Weight: 175
Signed: May 5, 2006 - NYM
Since signing at age 16 out of the Dominican, Lagares had moved slowly up the Mets’ ladder. He played at two levels in 2011 and actually hit for a higher average in Double-A, but he struggled to repeat that success at the same level in 2012. He makes consistent contact and doesn’t strike out much, but he also doesn’t walk and doesn’t profile to have too much power. A converted infielder, Lagares has done well in the outfield, even if his bat doesn’t profile perfectly for a corner spot.

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Matt Den Dekker
Rank: 14
ETA: 2013
Position: OF
Age: 25, DOB: 08/10/1987
Bats: L, Throws: L
Height: 6' 1", Weight: 205
Drafted: 2010, 5th (152) - NYM
After struggling with Double-A pitching at the end of 2011, the 2010 senior sign took advantage of his second stint at the level in 2012, batting .340 and slugging .563 in 58 games with Binghamton. Den Dekker earned a promotion to Triple-A Buffalo in mid-June and once against saw his production fall during his first look at a higher level. To be an everyday outfielder, he’ll have to be more consistent with the bat, but he has the potential to do so. If not, he still has a future as a very good fourth outfielder.

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Cory Mazzoni
Rank: 15
ETA: 2014
Position: RHP
Age: 22, DOB: 10/19/1989
Bats: R, Throws: R
Height: 6' 1", Weight: 190
Drafted: 2011, 2nd (71) - NYM
The Mets moved Mazzoni into a starting role in 2012, after using him in relief during his pro debut. He hasn’t fared as well as a starter, struggling with command and striking out fewer batters. The North Carolina State product has an excellent fastball, a curve and a splitter. He throws strikes, maintains velocity deep into starts and has a pretty clean delivery. The Mets know, though, that if starting doesn’t work out, it looks like he could move very quickly as a power-armed reliever. The Mets have continued to challenge him, promoting him to Double-A Binghamton in mid-June.

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Wilfredo Tovar
Rank: 16
ETA: 2014
Position: SS
Age: 21, DOB: 08/11/1991
Bats: R, Throws: R
Height: 5' 10", Weight: 160
Signed: Oct. 12, 2007 - NYM
Known initially for his defensive prowess as a shortstop, Tovar has steadily improved his offensive game to make him a more intriguing all-around prospect. He’s played both second and short in the Minors, but he would have no problem playing shortstop every-day defensively, with outstanding rang and a strong arm. His hitting remains a work in progress, but he’s shown an ability to make contact, not strike out and even draw a few walks. He’s never going to hit for much power, but his glove and his contact skills should allow him to keep climbing the ladder. He reached Double-A in 2012 at age 20.

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Kevin Plawecki
Rank: 17
ETA: 2015
Position: C
Age: 21, DOB: 02/26/1991
Bats: R, Throws: R
Height: 6' 2", Weight: 205
Drafted: 2012, 1st (35) - NYM
In a year a bit weak for catching, especially from the college ranks, Plawecki rose up Draft boards and landed in the supplemental first round. He’s an offensive-minded backstop who makes a lot of contact. At Purdue, he used a short stroke that allowed him to stay in the center of the field. That contact-first approach kept him from showing much power, but he has some strength that could relate to more pop in the future. Defensively, he doesn’t have a great arm, but the rest of his work behind the plate is more than fine. He knows how to call a game, has good hands and is fairly agile. He should be able to stay behind the plate and his bat should allow him to be a regular down the road.

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Matthew Reynolds
Rank: 18
ETA: 2015
Position: 3B
Age: 21, DOB: 12/03/1990
Bats: R, Throws: RHeight: 6' 1", Weight: 200
Drafted: 2012, 2nd (71) - NYM
Reynolds came to Arkansas as a shortstop, but got hurt as a freshman. His following two years of college, he largely played third and showed good defensive skills there. The Mets, though, moved him back to shortstop to begin his professional career and his bat does profile better there. He’s more of a line-drive, gap type hitter than the prototypical power guy you like to see at the hot corner, but he should hit for average with a good approach at the plate. He runs well and can steal a base here and there. While he doesn’t have outstanding range, his hands, feet and arm could work long-term up the middle.

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Juan Urbina
Rank: 19
ETA: 2015
Position: LHP
Age: 19, DOB: 05/31/1993
Bats: L, Throws: L
Height: 6' 2", Weight: 170
Signed: July 2, 2009 - NYM
The son of former big league reliever Ugueth Urbina, the lefty hasn’t put up the prettiest numbers in three summers, but he’s still shown flashes of his very high upside. He has a great arm and the chance to have a very exciting three-pitch mix. In 2012, he didn’t start pitching until late June, when he joined the Brooklyn Cyclones bullpen in the short season New York-Penn League. After just five innings, he left for rookie-level Kingsport, where he continued to pitch in relief.

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Cory Vaughn
Rank: 20
ETA: 2014
Position: OF
Age: 23, DOB: 05/01/1989
Bats: R, Throws: R
Height: 6' 3", Weight: 225
Drafted: 2010, 4th (122) - NYM
Another prospect with Major League bloodlines, the son of Greg Vaughn started out well in his full-season debut in 2011, making the South Atlantic League All-Star team and earning a promotion. Things didn’t go as well in the Florida State League as his averages across the board plummeted, but he started to right the ship in 2012 during his second stint in High A ball, adding some power to the mix. He still has the skills -- some power, some speed -- to profile as a toolsy right fielder, but he’ll have to prove a mastery of the level at before moving on.

Over the last decade, the New York Mets have established a draft routine: use their first-round pick to target either experienced college pitchers or high-risk, high-reward position prospects. Thus far, they’ve had considerably more success with the former than the latter.

Luckily, the team continues to thrive in the international scouting realm, as six of the team’s top-10 prospects are a product of either the Dominican Republic or Venezuela.

RHP Zack Wheeler and 3B Wilmer Flores are seemingly the only prospects capable of making an impact in the major leagues during the 2013 season, though the organization houses a slew of hard-throwing right-handers who should start to move quickly with experience.

Scouting Report: Undersized right-hander (6’, 170 pounds) is highly advanced for his age and has moved up the organizational ladder quickly since pro debut in 2011; possesses loads of natural arm strength though his command is easily his strongest attribute.

Montero’s fastball comes in at a deceptive 90-93 mph and generates a surprising amount of swing-and-misses; commands the pitch to both sides of the plate, and will also attack hitters up and down; curveball and changeup are both serviceable offerings, though both will need considerable refinement in upcoming years; needs to establish at least one of them as a an out pitch.

Scouting Report: Right-hander lacks projection at 6’4”, 230 pounds; development as a starter has tailed off since reaching higher levels; lacks command and consistency to profile as a big-league starter.

Plus fastball registers in mid-90s, though he was popping upper-90s out of the Mets’ bullpen late last season; unleashes heater with a lightning-quick arm and fluid stroke; both change and slider lag well behind fastball, with latter being the more advanced of the two secondary offerings; arsenal seems best suited for a full-time role as a reliever.

Scouting Report: Much like fellow international signee Wilmer Flores, Puello continues to close the gap between his natural ability and raw baseball skills; has the speed to play any outfield position, but offensive ceiling and plus arm strength suggest a home in right field.

Hyper-aggressive approach and reluctance to coax walks has prevented him from truly taking off; swings at too many pitcher’s pitches off the plate and gets himself out; has yet to tap into above-average raw power, but it’s definitely still there; will need to stay healthy in 2013 in order to start moving quickly.

Scouting Report: At 6’4”, 186 pounds, there’s a lot to like about Tapia; right-hander floods the strike zone with a mid-to-upper-90s fastball that was noticeably heavier last season; changeup is his best secondary offering and receives above-average-to-plus grades; lack of a breaking ball could be problematic at higher levels; development of a third pitch is crucial towards his projection as a starter; will likely end up in the bullpen given his plus-plus fastball and changeup combination.

Scouting Report: Regarded as one of the more athletic and advanced shortstops in 2012 draft class; broken finger in early August relegated him to DH duties for a majority of the season; only defensive tool that doesn’t grade as above-average is his arm, though it suffices for the position.

Not a fan of his swing as it’s loaded with unnecessary movement; frequently casts hands away from body and around baseball, resulting in weak contact to the left side; weight transfer through the baseball is choppy and lacks fluidity; hard to see him hit for much power with said swing; over-aggressive approach led to high strikeout total, though it will inevitably improve in upcoming seasons; will be more of a stolen-base threat as he gains experience on the bases.

Scouting Report: 6’3”, 200-pound right-hander projects to be one of numerous frontline starters to emerge from 2011 draft class; thrived this past season as a younger player in the South Atlantic League; keeps the ball in the park by pounding the knees and is an overall cerebral pitcher.

Fulmer boasts a plus fastball that registers in the mid-90s and has scraped 96-97 mph on occasion; heater gets on opposing hitters quickly and features late life to the arm side; slider is a put-away offering that draws whiffs from both right- and left-handed hitters; changeup steadily improved over the course of the regular season and he’s become comfortable throwing it in a variety of counts.

Scouting Report: Mateo got a late start to professional career after a minor elbow injury and fraudulent paperwork; 6’3” right-hander has a loose, wiry frame and whip-like arm; throws fastball in the low-to-mid-90s on good downhill plane and complements it with a sharp, swing-and-miss slider; changeup is raw and lags behind other pitches; will need to improve a third offering for success at higher levels; attacks hitters vertically and laterally with fastball-slider combination and is comfortable throwing each of his pitches in any count.

Scouting Report: Lanky outfielder leaves plenty of room for projection, as does his raw skill set; Nimmo employs a patient approach at the plate, but can be too passive and take hittable pitches; left-handed hitter has plus bat speed; yet to tap into above-average raw power; has been unable to solve left-handed pitching.

Lack of speed was disappointing and hurts his projection as a top-of-the-order hitter; has a lot to learn about base stealing and reading pitchers; defense in center field was shaky this past season, however there’s no reason to move him off the position until necessary; the key moving forward will be the speed of his adjustments while gaining considerable experience.

Scouting Report: Developed as a shortstop since 2008 before moving off position this season; defense vastly improved, especially at the hot corner; lacks the feet ideal for any position, but has solid instincts and a good first step; hands are reliable and arm is more than enough for the position.

The 21-year-old turned the corner offensively after several years of stagnation across all Class-A levels; finally made noticeable adjustments to approach and reaped the rewards; looked for pitches to drive rather than force contact; projects to have above-average power in the major leagues; began to consistently turn on the ball for first time in young career; still lets the ball get deep and will use an inside-out swing to go the other way.

Scouting Report: 6’4” right-hander has incredibly projectable frame and the potential to be a front-line starter; athletic delivery and lightning-quick arm result in overall deception; throws each of his pitches with similar tilt; a rarity in that he’s also adept to stifling running game.

Boasts a plus fastball that sits 93-96 mph with explosive arm-side run; effortless velocity overwhelms hitters; pitch is difficult to barrel; curveball is a hammer and a second plus offering; both slider and changeup aren’t thrown as often, but should give him a four-pitch mix of at least above-average offerings.

1) Travis D'Arnaud, C, Grade A-: Borderline B+. Should be acquired from Jays in the R.A. Dickey trade. He's not perfect, but D'Arnaud is either the best catching prospect in baseball or the second-best behind Mike Zunino. Could use a bit more polish with his throwing and his plate discipline and immediate stardom is unlikely, but overall he's the complete package. Don't expect him to be Mike Piazza, but he should be a long-term solution.

2) Zack Wheeler, RHP, Grade A-: Borderline B+. Aside from some control wobbles in Triple-A, he had a terrific year. Projects as a number two starter. Can he duplicate what Matt Harvey did? It's possible.

3) Noah Syndergaard, RHP, Grade A-: Borderline B+. Acquired in Dickey trade. He's ahead of where Wheeler was at age 20. Strong sinking fastball, good changeup, breaking stuff coming around, solid command, good body, good makeup, strong sabermetric profile. Just needs to stay healthy. I like him more than many people do, but I really like him.

4) Wilmer Flores, 3B-2B, Grade B+: Borderline B. I am impressed with the progress he made last year developing his power, and he's still just 21. There are still significant questions about his defense and how his bat will fit into a lineup, but progress is progress.

5) Michael Fulmer, RHP, Grade B: Borderline B-: Strong performance in Low-A, impressive fastball/slider combination. Development of changeup, command, and durability concerns over cross-body mechanics lead to some questions about future role, but he could be a mid-rotation guy eventually. Another guy I'm laying a bet on. Maybe a bad idea when it comes to pitchers, but I'm operating on very little sleep tonight.

6) Jeurys Familia, RHP, Grade B-: Borderline B. Another hard-thrower with command issues and question about his role. I've been in the starter camp but am now leaning towards the bullpen. Even slight command improvement could make him significant contributor in 2013.

7) Luis Mateo, RHP, Grade B-: Borderline B. Love the arm and he blew away the NY-P, however, he is in the age cohort of a college senior at age 22 so take the raw stats (2.45 ERA, 85/9 K/BB in 73 innings) with a grain of salt. That said, he throws quite hard and if his changeup comes around he is another mid-rotation arm for the future. If he repeats this at higher levels, he'll zoom up the lists quickly in '13 and this grade could look too low.

8) Brandon Nimmo, OF, Grade B-: Very patient, showed some pop in the New York-Penn League, but his athleticism and speed weren't as good as advertised. Will need more power if he has to move to an outfield corner.

9) Gavin Cecchini, SS, Grade B-: Baseball rat type, 2012 first rounder, good polish on defense, but hitting in rookie ball wasn't as good as I was led to expect when he was in high school. Young enough to get a lot better, of course.

10) Rafael Montero, RHP, Grade B-: Another product of the Mets pitching pipeline in Latin America, thrived in Low-A and High-A. Good command of low-90s fastball, and has a solid slider and improving changeup, throws strikes. Another potential mid-rotation starter.

11) Domingo Tapia, RHP, Grade B-: Here's another one, gets up to 98 MPH, erratic but promising in Low-A, needs a better breaking ball to remain a starter, but another high-ceiling guy.

12) Cory Mazzoni, RHP, Grade C+: Borderline B-. Inconsistent after promotion to Double-A and long-term role is uncertain, but could be another mid/back-rotation or bullpen candidate within the next two years. Low-to-mid-90s, good slider, but splitter wasn't completely effective.

13) Jake DeGrom, RHP, Grade C+: Older prospect at age 24 due to lost Tommy John season, but has a nasty sinker, an athletic body, throws strikes, and was sharp statistically with a 2.43 ERA and 96/20 K/BB in 111 innings in A-ball. Significant sleeper prospect.

14) Kevin Plawecki, C, Grade C+: Purdue catcher is a skilled contact hitter with a very solid glove. Didn't post eye-popping numbers in the NY-P, but I think he has growth potential. Presence of D'Arnaud means Plawecki won't have to be rushed.

15) Matt Den Dekker, OF, Grade C+: Offers left-handed power, can steal a base, and a fine glove in the outfield, but excessive strikeout inclination will likely preclude a good batting average and OBP. Should make a solid fourth outfielder.

16) Cory Vaughn, OF, Grade C+: Very productive in Florida State League (23 homers, 21 steals, 65 walks) but has a strikeout habit (114) and hit just .243. Turns 24 in May so he can't afford a slow start in Double-A.

17) Logan Verrett, RHP, Grade C+: Another college-trained strike-thrower (the Mets have several) who could be a surprise in 2013 if he adds another half-tick to his fastball or adds something to his changeup. Thrived in A-ball (2.70 ERA, 93/13 K/BB in 103 innings). Sleeper who would get more play in an organization with less pitching.

18) Jack Leathersich, LHP, Grade C+: Strikeout relief king, fanned 113 in 72 innings (read that again) in A-ball, with 3.00 ERA and gave up just 51 hits. He also walked 32 guys, so he's got work to do, but fastball/curve combination would take him a long way with even slight improvement in his command.

19) Danny Muno, INF, Grade C+: Not toolsy, but just knows how to play. Hit .280/.387/.412 in High-A, with 19 steals, 50 walks in 352 PA. Steady defense. Would make a fine utility guy.

20) Phillip Evans, SS, Grade C+: Higher ceiling than Muno but further away. His bat wasn't quite as good as advertised, but his glove was better than expected, and he has as chance to stick at shortstop. Will move to Low-A at age 20 in 2013.

This organization has made enormous strides of late, and the addition of D'Arnaud and Syndergaard is frosting on the cake.

The obvious strength is pitching, and they have a lot of it. Both Wheeler and Syndergaard are potential top-of-the-rotation starters, backing up the now-graduated Matt Harvey who was everything that could have been expected last summer and more. Hard-throwers dot the rosters. . .Familia, Fulmer, Tapia, Mateo, Montero. . .note particularly the products of the Latin American scouting operation. And there is more behind them, the Brooklyn Cyclones starting rotation was outstanding. But it isn't just the high-ceiling guys, they have polished arms, too. Guys like Verrett or DeGrom could sneak up on us the same way that McHugh did.

Of course, as Mets fans well-know from history, pitching prospects are a volatile commodity. They can explode in your face very easily, or fizzle into nothing like a drop of water on Mercury. That's why you need as much depth as possible, and they've developed that.

Hitting, on the other hand, is a weakness. The addition of D'Arnaud gives them an impact player ready to help in the majors, something they've needed. Flores made a lot of progress this year, but it is still an open question how he fits into a long-term lineup. Nimmo and Cecchini, the two most recent first round picks, both have the potential to be regulars but are years away from being ready. There are guys who look like potential role players, but adding more bats to the system needs to be a priority. Hopefully the new Latin American investments like Lupo and Rosario will show a better feel for the strike zone than the previous group.

In short, Mets fans should be very happy about the pitching depth in the system, but they also need to be realistic about the hitting. As cool as R.A. Dickey's breakthrough was, the Mets took a long-shot reclamation project that panned out and turned him into two blue chip prospects. It was the right long-term move for the system.

Chris Blessing: When Aderlin Rodriguez cannot find his way into the Mets’ top fifteen prospects list, you know the Mets are dealing with something they haven’t dealt with this century, a deep farm system. It’s not that I think Aderlin Rodriguez is some great prospect either. I look at him as a B-/C+ type prospect that has one tool, his power, that gets him noticed. In previous years, he makes the Mets top ten list.

Aderlin Rodriguez being out of consideration for the Mets top fifteen prospects is an example of the depth that Sandy Alderson and Paul DePodesta have created in the two years since taking over the franchise. Take a look at the organization’s top three prospcts. Zack Wheeler, Travis d’Arnaud & Noah Syndergaard were all acquired in trades orchestrated by Sandy Alderson. Five of the prospects in this listing were drafted by this front office regime. Michael Fulmer (6), Gavin Cecchini (7), Brandon Nimmo (8), Kevin Plawecki (14) and Phillip Evans (15) all were drafted under Paul DePodestra’s watch. It’s not just prospects acquired in trades or prospects drafted by the organization making this list, both Rafael Montero (5) and Luis Mateo (10) were signed as international free agents in 2011.

I’ve had several Mets fans point out to me on social media that it’s sad that this organizations top three prospects came from different organizations and it just proves that the Mets cannot scout their own talent. I don’t really have words for these fans in regards to those statements. Look, in two years, this organization has transformed it’s farm system from an under performing laughing stock to an exceptional example of good scouting and smart trades. This needs to be applauded. Ten players in the top fifteen have been acquired in the past two seasons. That’s tremendous. I doubt many other organizations can say that and back that up with such highly ranked prospects occupying their top list.

The Mets, unless they perform a 2012 Baltimore Orioles miracle, will not contend in 2013. The light at the end of the tunnel isn’t as far away as some think. I never bet against good young pitching, especially the amount of good young pitching the Mets have accumulated. Some of this depth is likely to be traded and the players that the Mets get back, could make this team a contender as early as next year. I promise I haven’t had any wacky tobacky either. They are much closer to contention than you think.

JD Sussman: The Mets have a slew of really interesting arms. Domingo Tapia has a plus plus fastball that, due to his low 3/4 delivery, sinks and boars inward against right handed hitters. A strong fastball is an important foundation for any successful pitcher, but Tapia must develop his change up and breaking ball if he’s going to miss enough bats to be a starter. I loved watching Luis Mateo down in Brooklyn, but I want prospect watchers to temper their enthusiasm. He’s got a plus fastball that sits in the 92-94 and touches 96 early in starts but his velocity drops as starts wear on, but he’s a big kid and a good athlete so this may not be a longer term issue. His success in 2012 was due to his above average ability to locate it and consistently pound the strikezone. I’ve seen his slider earn high praise; yesterday Baseball Prospectus called it a potential “7″. I haven’t seen that. That doesn’t it mean it doesn’t exist, but in my trips to Brooklyn the pitch has been average and flashed “6″ only on a handful of occasions. The Mets will likely allow Mateo to start, but he could move quickly as a relief pitcher. Despite ranking him the lowest of the four lists, my favorite starter at Brooklyn was Gabriel Ynoa. His upside isn’t as big as Mateo or Tapia but his easy delivery gives him the best chance at sticking in the rotation. His fastball is a “6″ and sits in the low 90s and touches 95 with good movement, but his change up and breaking ball lag behind. Also, I disagree with Al about Noah Syndergaard‘s fastball. It’s not just velocity, it has strong sinking action and he locates it really well. He mixes in a solid but developing change up and a true 12-6 curveball too. The change is the better of the two pitches, it’s more consistent and hitters actually offer at it. The curveball flashes a lot of potential but its shape is very inconsistent at this point as is his control of it. He added a slider later in the year which I did not see, so I cannot comment on it. In a year’s time I could see him making the jump and becoming a top ten prospect like Zack Wheeler.

The Mets also have some intriguing hitters. Brandon Nimmo is a bit of a head-scratcher. He has a passive approach and trouble with breaking pitches but does project to have plus power. Brooklyn was an aggressive assignment for him given his background as a raw and inexperienced ballplayer. 2012 looks good on paper due to his massive walk rate, but I don’t see a mid-teens walk rate continuing against good pitching. With more experience he should improve against breaking balls and his contact rate should increase. Another worry that he’ll have to move to a corner. We internally debated Kevin Plawecki and Phillip Evans a lot this summer. The “Plaw” as they call him (think Claw) down in Brooklyn is a serious competitor and a surprisingly agile catcher. I saw him make some ridiculous diving catches on foul balls that by looking at him you wouldn’t think he would get. At the plate he couples a sound approach with good contact skills, but his power is below average. I could see him being a very nice back up catcher or a second division starter if everything breaks right. I slightly prefer Phil Evans. His numbers don’t show it but he’s short to the ball and has average pop too. Evans is thick muscular kid with little room for projection. Many question his defense but he has surprising range for a kid with his build. Ultimately second base may be better for him but I wouldn’t rule out shortstop entirely. Cecchini was a late call up to Brooklyn, and while I didn’t see much of him he showcases average tools at a premium position (his hit tool could be above average or better). Lots of fans were upset with the pick because his lacks upside, but don’t underestimate how valuable he can be with those tools at shortstop.

Al Skorupa: The Mets were kind enough to time their big trade in time for our top prospects list. I really like Travis d’Arnaud’s game. He’s an agile, athletic receiver behind the plate, though he rushes his footwork and actions at times. D’Arnaud possesses a strong arm and is a good framer with soft hands. He has every tool to be a plus defensive catcher in the big leagues but he does need to polish aspects of his game. Out of the catchers I’ve seen live over the last couple years he comes to mind as one of the few I think I’d really enjoy throwing to if I were a pitcher. At the plate he has a quick bat and above average power. His approach and strike zone are a little inconsistent but its clear he’s going to hit more than your average catcher. The pitcher New York acquired in the deal, Noah Syndergaard, has a big arm and flashes quality secondaries. Its easy to project Syndergaard as a mid to front end type right now, but I do have concerns. His fastball – while thrown very hard – doesn’t have a tremendous amount of life on it. Straight, heavy fastballs tend to be the fare of mid rotation types more than front end starters. I’m curious to see if Syndergaard keeps missing a large amount of bats against more advanced hitters, but in either case he looks like a quality major league starter who will help the Mets. While both reach the upper 90′s, fellow farmhand Zack Wheeler is a significantly better prospect. Wheeler is one of the handful of best prospects in the game. He’s that rare on the cusp front end starting pitcher with great stuff, makeup and the knowledge of how to use it.

I’m really not sold on Wilmer Flores’s profile. I don’t think you can hope for anything other than passable at 3B and even that may be a stretch. I don’t believe he has the footspeed for the outfield, either. So I see his natural position as 1B, and while I’m optimistic he can hit in the majors he’s on a relatively long list of guys who can hit some in the majors but don’t have an exciting profile at 1B. He’s kind of a tweener for me and ideally a 2nd division player or corner depth guy. And to get there his approach still needs much improvement to allow his power and natural hitting ability to actually play in game against major league pitchers. Gavin Cecchini may lack impact tools but he’s a solid-all-around up the middle player, and that shouldn’t be ignored. Those guys are hard to come by. I want to get behind Brandon Nimmo but I do have some concerns there. He’s more advanced than I thought he’d be coming from that “no high school baseball in Wyoming” background. I love his makeup and his approach to the game (not to be confused with his approach at the plate). He can put a charge in the ball but the raw tools aren’t star level and he still needs a lot of work. I noted he had particular problems with same handed pitching and breaking balls. With his work ethic and makeup I’m inclined to think he’s going to make the adjustments, but I still see a major league regular (and not a star) down the road. Luis Mateo has an electric arm but he was a reliever all the way for me. He has a reliever delivery and I don’t think his command and control will ever be sufficient for an extended run as a big league starter. Its not that there’s a lot of effort in the delivery, its more that he has the hip slap and head jerk mechanics that hurt FB command. He was 92-95 with late life on his fastball. The power SL had depth and late break and he could throw it for strikes (though not locate it within the zone). He totally lacked a third offering. I got one pitch at 80 on my gun that may have been an attempt at a changeup but it was numbers high and dead straight. He’s a good athlete, too, so there’s a chance he adjusts… but its really easy for me to view him as a bullpen arm eventually. He does have some late inning potential with the makings of two well above average pitches.

I saw a good deal of catcher Kevin Plawecki on the Cape a couple summers ago and liked him. I still came away with a favorable impression after seeing Brooklyn a few times this summer. I do think Plawecki profiles best as a backup. I’m not sure he will hit quite enough to carry his fringe average at best glove. He was a nice little pick for the Mets and I like him better than most, but with the addition of d’Arnaud Plawecki looks even more like organizational depth. I liked Phil Evans to a certain point. I’m just not sure where he eventually fits. Sometimes he looked like he had absolutely no business being in the middle infield and then he’d make one play where you’d say…”well, hold on here…”, but ultimately he doesn’t have the actions, athleticism or range for shortstop. A scout remarked to me ”You don’t see a single major league shortstop with a build like that.” You definitely don’t. He has that fire hydrant, stout, almost catcher build. He does pair that with surprising athleticism, but I don’t know he’s going to fit anywhere that lets it really play. Second base is much more likely than SS and I think the outfield is a possibility. Though the same scout pointed out its a tough profile for Evans in the outfield, too, as pretty much every org. will have players ahead of him on the depth chart. He has some nice gap power despite his size and a solid feel for the bat. There’s a lot of players I’m fond of in this system. The Mets have done well with drafts and trades under Sandy Alderson and Chad MacDonald. The composition of the next contending Mets team is starting to take shape.

Jeff Reese: Following the completion of the RA Dickey trade, the Mets suddenly have an impressive system with two elite level prospects at the top. I was the only one to rank Travis d’Arnaud ahead of Zack Wheeler. Both are on the same tier, but d’Arnaud’s upside as a quality defensive and offensive catcher is too much for me to pass by. I have been a card-carrying member of the Travis d’Arnaud fan-club since his days with Lakewood, no reason to stop now! Noah Syndergaard has the raw stuff to be mentioned amongst those two, but he lacks the overall consistency. He will just begin to make the climb towards the upper levels of the minor league hierarchy, so there is plenty of time for his curve and change to fully develop.

After those three, the system moves on to talents that are far more raw. The Mets have an abundance of interesting, young Latin arms. Domingo Tapia is my favorite as someone who can dominate off of the strength of his elite fastball and quality changeup. It’s easy to cast him as a reliever given how low his arm-slot is — interestingly quite a few of the Mets Latin arms throw from low 3/4 to nearly side arm — and the lack of a quality breaking ball, but I don’t mind young pitchers with this profile. Developing quality fastball command and pitching off of your fastball are things that endear me to pitchers — I like to think of it as the Juan Nicasio profile. A serviceable breaking ball will still need to be developed of course, but it’s too early to exile him to the bullpen. Rafael Montero is a legitimate choice to put ahead of Tapia though. His fastball is not quite as impressive, but his breaking ball is much better. Luis Mateo, Gabriel Ynoa, and Hansel Robles all pitched in the Mets’s NYPL rotation; I saw all three at the All-Star Game at Mahoning Valley in August. Luis Mateo is the most highly touted, but I came away most impressed with Gabriel Ynoa. Ynoa showed a tick more velocity than the other two in that outing to go with a loose arm and a pair of solid secondary offerings. Mateo was still impressive though, even if he failed to flash the elite velocity that he’s known for. His fastball was more 89-92 for me with hard arm-side run that made it a swing and miss pitch; he also threw one slider that showed its full potential with late, fall off the table break. Robles is the least talked about of the three but still came with a low 90s fastball and solid from a loose, fast arm action. Jeurys Familia lacks the necessary control to be a starting pitcher but should thrive in the bullpen.

Brandon Nimmo will take some time to develop coming from a region not known for producing baseball players. Their latest prep first rounder, Gavin Cecchini, may have enough defensive skill to stick at short stop which would make the upside in his bat an asset at the position. Phil Evans, meanwhile, is stretched at short stop but has the instincts that mask some of his deficiencies. Second base is where he’ll likely end up; he has enough offensive upside where he could be a solid regular there. The system is definitely improved compared to the past few years.

The New York Mets are a team in flux, but the recent long-term signing of star 3B, David Wright, shows that management is serious about building a team that will get the Mets faithful back on board with the organization. Last year we had a starting pitcher named Matt Harvey at the top of our Mets Top 10 and he lit up Flushing once he made his debut.

This year the system gets deeper at the top, with some ready now talent and some exciting potential in the lower levels.

Let’s get started with the New York Mets Top 21 Prospects of 2013.

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1. Zack Wheeler, RHP 5/30/1990 H: 6’4″ W: 185 - Wheeler was #2 on this list last year behind only the aforementioned Matt Harvey. Wheeler, was the baby on many lists last year and rightfully so with his elite level stuff. But he still has some things to work on as evidenced by his jump in walk rate and decline in K rate.

Wheeler will return to Triple-A to start the season and once he gets his mechanics in line and starts trusting his fastball, he’ll move quickly and find his way to New York. He has Ace upside and it won’t be based on his stuff, it will based on how well he learns to trust it. ETA 2013.

2. Travis d’Arnaud, C 2/10/1989 H: 6’2″ W: 195 - Part of the Dickey trade, d’Arnaud was the Jays top prospect and slides into the Mets order here at #2. No change in the profile but the opening for a spot is much more obvious, with no one outside of Buck in front of him. Buck came over in the trade as well and will only keep the spot warm until d’Arnaud is ready which should be right around the time the weather warms up.

He comes with a solid defensive skill set. A strong arm and average footwork behind the plate. Still has work to do with running a game from the general spot though and injuries to his knee are red flags long term.

His calling card is going to be his potential above average power and above average hit tool. He looks like he’ll hover around .300 AVG seasons and put up 20 HR seasons. The power output in 2012 seems like a true HR break out, but the environment in Vagas is one of the best offensive parks in all of baseball. So I would temper expectations for 30+ HR seasons. But the IsoP with a 2nd consecutive .225+ season is confirmation that there is true above average power here. Speed is not a part of his game and if he doesn’t hold up physically he’ll end up an average 1B. I think something more along the lines of Carlos Santana might be the player profile inside a few years. ETA: 2013

3. Noah Syndergaard, RHP 8/29/1992 H: 6’5″ W: 200 - We had Syndergaard as the #132 prospect in baseball heading into last season. A high ranking at the time that proved how easy it is underestimate talent. Syndergaard has the same power arsenal he did heading into last season as well as that perfect pitchers frame.

He works with a 92-94mph fastball that he gets into the upper 90s in the mid innings holding velocity through his starts. Those starts have been shortened as the Jays have protected their young arms. I would expect the Mets to ease off the leash a little in 2013 and let him run to 140 or so innings in the FSL. He’ll be refining his curveball and changeup in a pitcher friendly environment and if the strikeout to walk ratio holds, he’s going to be on the fast track to elite level prospect. Tempering expectations would have the ERA rise in 2013 to around a 3.00 level as his BABIP normalizes and the hitters become more selective.

He’s actually the one prospect in the system who has the potential to front the future rotation of the Mets. Wheeler is the most likely to reach his ceiling, but Syndergaard is more advanced than Wheeler was at the same age. Expect his name to be highly touted in 2013. Especially in the NY Hype Machine. ETA: 2015

2012 by the numbers: 8-5, 2.60 ERA, 2.21 FIP, .295 BABIP, 122/31 K/BB ratio in 103.2 innings in Low-A. Taken #38 overall in the 1st round of the 2010 draft by the Blue Jays.

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4. Wilmer Flores, SS 8/6/1991 H: 6’3″ W: 190 - I was admittedly ready to write off Flores, a prospect who I had watched play more times than I can remember. I had this to say before the 2012 season in Flores Prospect Instinct solo:

I think he will eventually fit in as a platoon 1B with 20 HR power. But I’m going to reserve this one final offseason to see how he comes into camp in St. Lucie and watch his Double-A season closely. He has the talent and bat speed to turn on the power in the blink of an eye. Time is just running very, very short.

Well he did improve at 3B and the contact ability started to turn into power with a .169 IsoP in the FSL. He had the second breakout season that we have been waiting for and jumped to Double-A with a .186 IsoP. His K rate dropped and his walk rate improved. His ability to make contact is going to drive his success and there should now be more power in store. He should start in Double-A again and possibly see Triple-A mid year. Where he plays in NY is still a mystery, especially since David Wright is entrenched at 3B. A move to LF or 1B is possible. ETA 2014.

5. Michael Fulmer, RHP 3/15/1993 H: 6’3″ W: 200 - 2011 draftee, a lesser touted Oklahoma product, Fulmer is making a name for himself already. His mid 90s fastball and bulldog mentality are already prevalent and his numbers in 2012 show the type of prospect he is. With around a K per inning and a declining walk rate. He has the stuff for the rotation and as I said last preseason, it will be his command that determines how good he can be. Upside is front of the rotation type. ETA 2015.

6. Jeurys Familia, RHP 10/10/1989 H: 6’4″ W: 230 - Familia is knocking on the door after a brief call up last year, but if he’s going to be a starter long-term he needs time in Triple-A to put the command together. His mechanics can become an issue which affect his command. But he has one of the most dynamic arms in the system with a mid to upper 90s velocity and an excellent slider. His change is still developing and will need to improve to be more than a back-end starter. I still feel that we’re looking at a dominant RP. If the Mets surprise this year, Familia will be a force in the pen. If not he may spend most of 2013 in the minors. ETA 2013.

7. Rafael Montero, RHP 10/17/1990 H: 6’0″ W: 170 – Montero was a standout in his 2011 debut season. He continued that path in 2012, running through the Sally with a 2.52 ERA with just 8 walks in 71.1 IP. That earned him a move to the FSL where he turned on some additional power and bumped his K rate to an elite level 29% while still keeping his walk rate at just 5.9%. His fastball sits low to mid 90s and his slider flashes plus, but is not yet consistent. He is still developing his changeup but it looked like a future average pitch.

He’s not the biggest starter and he wasn’t young for the Sally. So his 2013 season will show if he’s got more than mid rotation potential. I think he’s going to make it to NY as a starter and is a name to watch for in about a year. ETA 2014.

8. Brandon Nimmo, OF 3/27/1993 H: 6’3″ W: 185 – Nimmo is touted as a raw talent, but in real life, that’s not actually true. He has an excellent approach at the plate with a very high walk rate. His ability to make solid contact against secondary stuff is his main issue at this point.

It will indeed take time for him to hit at a high level, but he’s flashing pretty big power already. That .158 IsoP isn’t going to light up radars, but he hit 20 doubles and 6 HR in 266 AB. He’s heading in the right direction. He’s another prospect whose true power I don’t expect to emerge until he’s weathered the FSL. ETA 2016.

9. Domingo Tapia, RHP 12/16/1991 H: 6’4″ W: 185 – Tapia has one of the best overall fastballs in the system and has command of the pitch at a young age. With a 7.1% walk rate, his success has been defined by those two factors. He is still refining his secondary offerings.

He’s still refining a change with fade and his curveball may eventually be shelved for a slider due to its lack on depth. Tapia has the frame and the fastball to project high upside and the changeup being his second best pitch actually is an advantage. If its developed. But he’ll see the FSL this year and the staff there is excellent at working consistency from a pitcher like Tapia. ETA 2015.

10. Gavin Cecchini, SS 12/22/1993 H: 6’1″ W: 180 - Cecchini was outside the Top 30 for us in the Draft Preview. He was taken 12th, an over draft until he proves us wrong. But I’m also stone-headed and I know the Mets will give him every chance to succeed as a 1st round pick. He needs to uptick the power in short order, especially if can in fact not stick at SS.

But he is a good athlete with good speed and should hit enough to eventually be a solid major leaguer. We just don’t see a future star. ETA 2016.

11. Cam Maron, C 1/20/1991 H: 6’1″ W: 175 - Maron is still an unknown, but after making our Top C Prospects of 2012 List last year, he did what we thought he would. He hit. Despite a very slow start to the season, he remained professional as a hitter and chipped away at his batting AVG all the way to a .300 AVG at the end of the season.

He doesn’t have much speed, but enough quickness to be a full-time catcher at the major league level. His plate discipline will be tested in 2013 in the FSL, but again we think he’ll hit at a high level and once he gets to Double-A, he could turn into a 10-15 HR hitter with a .290+ range AVG. ETA 2015.

12. Aderlin Rodriguez, 3B 11/18/1991 H: 6’3″ W: 210 - Rodriguez is a top power prospect in the system with now power and the K’s to match. He had a .200+ IsoP on the season and a IsoP of .190 in the FSL which is an impressive number for his High-A debut.

He has true HR power and if he mature as a hitter and draw more walks, his K rate will be more than tolerable. His long-term position is probably not 3B so he’ll eventually move to LF. He’ll have that power to be usable there, but will need to draw more walks to be a regular. He’ll head back to High-A in 2013 and should be a 20+ HR hitter again. ETA: 2015.

13. Danny Muno, SS 2/9/1989 H: 5’11″ W: 175 – Muno worked around a 50 game suspension to have a nice under the radar season. In the FSL where hitting for power is tough, he had 24 XBH in 289 AB with a very high walk rate and a low K rate. He’s going to be a 2B and will be 24 this season so the clock is ticking. A move to Double-A is likely in 2013 and Muno will look to bring his high OBP and speed to the game with a touch of power.

He could be a 10+ HR and 25+ SB MI with very little support in this system under Murphy on the big team. ETA 2014.

14. Matt Den Dekker, OF 8/1-/1987 H: 6’1″ W: 205 - Den Dekker has all the talent to be a full-time OF for the Mets, but he also has huge holes in his game that may keep him from being that player. With a wildly high K rate at 28%+ in Triple-A he’s going to need a year at Triple-A to see if he can adjust to the new level. But adjusting to the level after that is my worry. High K rates likes this don’t disappear when you hit the majors.

So all of the positives – Average power with 56 XBH, the speed with 21 SB and the solid defense in CF will all be for not if he’s going to strike out 150+ times per season. He’ll start 2013 in Triple-A and Vegas could have his power spike. Watch the OBP and K rate closely. If they trend the right way he could get a mid-season shot in 2013 but the true ETA 2014.

The 6'5", 240-pound righty features low-90s heat and a well-developed 12-to-6 breaker, and he posted a 0.93 ERA in his pro debut. In doing so, he exhibited a surprising combination of polish, size, and stuff for a junior college player taken in the 11th round in 2012. He was available thanks to command woes in college, but he took to pro instruction very well, walking just two batters in 19.1 innings out of the Cyclones' bullpen. He could be a very nice coup for Paul DePodesta and company.

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49. OF Alonzo Harris

The 2007 39th-round shortstop-turned-outfielder's prospect stock was on life support after it took him three tries to conquer Single-A Savannah. However, in his first assignment to High-A in 2012, Harris surprisingly thrived. That includes an extremely promising walk rate (8.9%), a drastic decline in strikeouts (13.4%) , and a stolen base total more than twice his previous career high (40). He still profiles as a speedy fourth outfielder at best, but when a player this athletic exhibits such impressive growth in secondary skills — especially against somewhat advanced pitching — it's unwise to ignore it.

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48. RHP Luis Cessa

Overshadowed as a member of the stellar Cyclones rotation, the 20-year-old quietly posted a 2.49 ERA in 13 starts in 2012. Though his 5.47 strikeouts per nine left a lot to be desired, at 6'3", 190 pounds, Cessa may possess more projectability than anyone else on that staff — already touching the mid-90s along with a surprisingly advanced three-pitch mix.

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47. RHP Matthew Koch

A 2012 third rounder out of Louisville, Koch lacks the upside of other high-end arms drafted after him as the Cardinals' closer is almost certainly a pro reliever long-term. Regardless, he features high 90s velocity, and, despite an underwhelming pro debut in Brooklyn, earns his spot based on the fact that the starter-turned power-armed, late-inning reliever profile is one that has the potential to move very fast, a la Bobby Parnell.

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46. RHP Gonzalez Germen

Here is a case where I'm inclined to defer to the organization in all of its wisdom. The 25-year-old has moved up the chain thanks mostly to the combination of a very strong fastball and very good command of said fastball — and not a ton else. It's not a mind-blowing profile, but it's also not hard to see him contribute to the big club as bullpen depth very soon, especially given that he was added to a somewhat crowded 40-man roster this winter.

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45. SS T.J. Rivera

Another year, another chance to prove the critics wrong for the 24-year-old undrafted free agent from the Bronx. He followed up a very strong .326 average in his pro debut with a .333 mark for Savannah in 2012. Lacking any one plus tool, Rivera does just enough of everything to make himself interesting. Make no mistake, he's certainly no top prospect, and his .350-plus BABIP could easily be a mirage. But the thing is he's done it at four straight levels now. So if he can find a way to replicate his success in Double-A and continue to showcase a strong, flexible glove around the infield, he's at least got an outside shot as a scrappy infielder in the mold of Daniel Descalso in St. Louis.

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44. RHP Miller Diaz

The 20-year-old Venezuelan led the Kingsport staff in innings, ERA, and strikeouts before winning that level's Sterling Award. The solidly built 6'1" righty features a very good fastball that he runs into the mid-90s, which was just too much for hitters in the Appy League. He'll have to further develop his secondary repertoire as a strong fastball with good, but not great, command won't be enough if he's to remain a starter. As he progresses it's easy to imagine a hard-throwing starter-turned-reliever in the mold of Armando Rodriguez.

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43. RHP Erik Goeddel

It was a solid 2012 season for the former 2010 24th -round steal out of UCLA. It's tough to complain about a 3.09 FIP and an 8+ strikeouts per nine in his first exposure to High-A. Still, the slender righty left a little to be desired, especially in the second half when he posted a 4.14 ERA. The strikeout totals were still there, and his control is fine; the main issue is inconsistency, as his strong slider/curve combo disappeared at times. Even worse, a fastball that flashed mid-90s as a collegian was regularly in the 89-92 mph range for the Mets. To me, Goeddel's profile screams future reliever as he flashes the ability to blow away hitters with a very polished repertoire but seems to lack the build/durability to be able to hold his stuff over the course of a full season.

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42. RHP Armando Rodriguez

The former starter finally made the full-time move to relief and took to it well. Not surprisingly, the strong-armed righty looked more dominant than ever, even against the more advanced competition of Double-A. In fact, he maintained a strikeout rate above nine and, even better, a walk rate around 2.60. With an opponent average that hovered around .215 all season, it's not a stretch to think that he could be effective against major leaguers very soon, though he'll have to rein in his high home run rate. Expect Rodriguez to get a fighter's chance in spring training, but more likely he'll serve as the first line of relief depth, much like Elvin Ramirez last season — except with better command.

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41. RHP Chris Flexen

The Mets' 2012 14th rounder reportedly featured fifth-round talent, but slid due to second-round bonus demands. The Mets paid up, and in doing so may have quite a steal on their hands. Flexen was the second-youngest pitcher in the Appy League in 2012 and though he only turned 18 in July, the 6'3", 215-pound righty is already touching 94 mph on the gun. Despite so-so results in six starts for Kingsport, he also seemed to find his stride in August allowing just one earned over his last 11 innings pitched. An argument could easily be made for a higher ranking, but for now I'll simply flag Flexen as a definite early candidate to leap up these rankings in 2013.

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40. OF Gilbert Gomez

The athletic 20-year-old continued to showcase a strong mix of skills and tools in 2012. Specifically, a walk rate that was already very strong climbed to an exceptional 14.3% while he maintained the same 20% strikeout rate — a figure that's high but palatable from a toolsy center field prospect. In the field Gomez showed off a strong glove manning Savannah's spacious outfield, though just-okay foot speed may mean a corner role long-term. There's a good case that his less than common profile warrants a higher rank; for me, though, until he shows a bit more with the hit tool and/or cements a center field profile I'm satisfied to stop short at calling him one of the top sleepers in the Mets farm system.

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39. INF Josh Satin

In his first full year at Triple-A, Satin did what he always does, posting his same-old excellent 14% walk rate, troubling 20% strikeout rate, moderate .150 ISO and batting somewhere around .300. It's a decent offensive profile, but based on his defense, it's not enough. In short, Satin's most realistic major league profile is a righty off the bench with some pop and some patience, zero speed, who can fake it at a number of positions in a pinch. Unfortunately, it's a not an ideal skillset, and the fact that he's already 28 doesn't help. Based solely on the merits of his 2012 in a vacuum, Satin's prospect stock remains unchanged. There's still little doubt that he could help a major league team in some way, shape, or form right now. However, he isn't in a vacuum; he's in the minors, among many other players, most of whom are younger, which means his standing still is moving backwards.

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38. 2B Reese Havens

2012 was a very damning season for the Mets' one-time second baseman of the future. Despite struggling with more back woes, he reached 90 games played for just the second time in his career. However, in what was a highly discouraging development Havens floundered badly at the plate. While his characteristically high walk rate was true to form (14.9%), his disastrous 29% strikeout rate ranked second-worst in the Eastern League, short-circuiting the rest of his batting line. It's still not an impossibility for Havens to become the impact player we all envisioned. However, at age 26, five summers after that fateful first round when Havens was selected, it's becoming harder and harder to imagine every day. He'll be singing for his supper in 2013.

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37. OF Darrell Ceciliani

The 22-year-old Ceciliani lost just about a full season of development in 2012 after struggling with hamstrings for the majority of the year — again. The good news is that when he played, he was effective. His walks remained high (10.2%) and strikeouts were way down (13.3%). He was riding the unsustainable BABIP train again (.370), though he's still showing the speed to warrant some of that. Overall, I'm still a fan of his talent -- especially in center field — but the inability to stay healthy has become a serious long-term concern, which -- as I've pointed out before -- we can't just ignore.

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36. LHP Darin Gorski

After a breakout 2011 in the FSL, the '09 seventh rounder came back to Earth against more age-appropriate competition in 2012. He posted an all-around average pitching line, made worse when you consider his 4.53 FIP. Now it wasn't all bad: A 7.60 strikeout per nine coupled with a .244 opponent average certainly doesn't point to a complete flame out. However, for a guy that features an average fastball and lacks a true putaway pitch, a homer per nine that was fourth-worst in all of Double-A baseball is not a good sign -- especially for a decidedly flyball pitcher. At 25, I still think Gorski could help a major league team in some capacity, but as I've said before, when I look at him I can't help thinking Pat Misch.

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35. LHP Steven Matz

The good news is the stuff looked great. His special, high 90s fastball from the left side blew away Appy League hitters as he posted a .158 opponent average over his first 29 pro innings. The bad news? After a spring marked by discomfort in his surgically-repaired arm, Matz was ultimately shut down early due to tightness in his pitching shoulder. In a vacuum he's an easy top ten talent. The key here, however, is that it doesn't matter how talented he is if he can't stay healthy, and that is something that -- though it is tempting -- we cannot ignore. Typically arm injuries portend bad things down the road, not the other way around. For that reason Matz is going to have to prove that he can handle even a light workload before I can give him a ranking worthy of his premium stuff.

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34. RHP Rainy Lara

While Lara might not get as much play as Mateo or Robles, the 21-year-old is a serious prospect in his own right. At 6'4", 180 lbs Lara possesses a near-perfect pitcher's build with plenty of projectability. Along with a good low-90s fastball, he already floats an excellent change-up — a good sign for his chances to remain a starter long-term. In 12 starts for the Cyclones in 2012 Lara posted a sub-3 ERA and placed third among NYPL starters in strikeouts per nine (10.19). Additionally, Lara showcased pinpoint command, posting a 1.59 BB/9, incredible when you consider how many bats he missed. If he can add a tick to that fastball we'll likely be talking about another top shelf pitching prospect here.

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33. 3B/SS Matt Reynolds

The Mets' 2012 second-round selection out of the U. of Arkansas was solid, if unspectacular, in his pro debut. However, in a lot of ways, that's probably the best way to characterize Reynolds as a player. He exhibits a good idea at the plate, makes plenty of contact, and can run a little bit. He doesn't possess the power or hit tool required of a corner player, but he'd profile just fine at short. Whether he has enough glove to hang there remains to be seen -- but obviously the Mets think he can based on the early selection and the immediate move back to his defensive home. All in all, he balances his lack of ceiling with a conversely high floor; it's not hard to imagine Reynolds as a middle infield utilityman -- a la Danny Muno -- long-term.

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32. RHP Chris Schwinden

Despite an odd journey on the waivers merry-go-round last summer, the thing about Schwinden's season is that it shouldn't really change our opinion of the solid, if unspectacular, 26-year-old right-hander much. Nothing has changed from last winter when his repertoire drew comparisons to Dillon Gee. He wasn't as strong in his second big league trial, but that was just three games after all. I'd pay more attention to the 2.45 ERA with just a shade under eight strikeouts and roughly two walks per nine over his last 11 starts with the Bisons. Ultimately, Schwinden entered the year with a ceiling at the back-end of a big league rotation and a floor as a Taxi Squad spot starter and both parameters remain true today.

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31. LHP Robert Carson

This may seem a little low for a lefty who showed the ability to overpower major league hitters with a high 90s fastball in 2012. However, my gripe with Carson is unchanged from last year, or the year before that: He's struggled to limit the hits at every level since Rookie-ball -- and 2012 was no different. In Binghamton, opponents batted .300 against him, in Buffalo they batted .276. Taking a peek at his big league service time, major league lefties batted .286 against him with an .875 OPS. I've said it before and I'll say it again: Carson has a rare arm, but ultimately the lack of a credible secondary pitch makes the fastball a lot less fearsome, no matter how hard he throws it.

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30. 3B Zach Lutz

The name may be getting stale but the bat is not. More of the same from the 26-year-old who, as always, beat up on high-level pitching in between stints on the mend. However, 2012 was notable in that the '07 fifth rounder didn't miss nearly as much time as he has in the past and he even made his major league debut in April. Still, there's not a ton to glean from Lutz's latest campaign -- aside from the consolation that comes from effectively bouncing back from multiple concussions. We know the guy can hit; 2012 marked the third straight season that he posted an OPS at or near .900 in Triple-A. I tend to think the quality of his bat could warrant a starting role but at this point, he needs to be tested against major leaguers to find out -- and unfortunately it's become clear that probably won't happen with the Mets.

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30. RHP Logan Verrett

The 2011 third rounder has the type of polished college repertoire to dice up lower level hitters by hitting every spot with all three of his pitches -- and he did just that in 2012. But while his stock ticks up based on very strong results in his debut, the main sticking point here is that Verrett saw his strikeout rate plummet from above nine in Savannah down to just over six for St. Lucie. While he showcased more velocity on his low 90's fastball than was expected, Verrett is still shorter on stuff for a right-handed starter -- and strikeout attrition before Double-A is not a great sign. The ceiling is still a back-end starter, but an eventual move to the bullpen is certainly foreseeable.

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29. RHP Tyler Pill

In his first full season the 2011 fourth rounder from Cal. State-Fullerton took a step forward in terms of missing bats, posting a strikeouts per nine mark of 8.4 between Savannah and St. Lucie. This is important for Pill as he does not currently possess the kind of stuff to comfortably project as a major league starter. Namely, his high-80s, low-90s heat from the right side just doesn't give him much margin for error -- nor does it profile well in relief. Now as we've seen with guys like Dillon Gee and Collin McHugh, it can work -- but only if Pill can maintain his pinpoint command and continue to refine his already strong secondary offerings.

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28. RHP Hansel Robles

Of all the Brooklyn starters, none was more successful in 2012 — or perhaps unexpected — than Robles. The 22-year-old led the NYPL in ERA (1.11) and placed top three in FIP (1.86), BB/9 (1.06), and opponent average (.184). The strong-armed righty allowed more than one earned run just once in twelve starts and finished the season by allowing zero earned over his final 45 innings. A smallish/stocky build (5'11", 185 lbs) allows him to very effectively repeat his delivery -- however it also leads some to see a reliever long-term. Either way, a mid-90's fastball as part of a solid four-pitch mix will play in the bigs -- as evidenced by his surprising addition to the 40-man this winter.

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27. OF Cesar Puello

So-so 2012 campaign for the 21-year-old as he battled injuries for much of it -- something that is becoming a serious concern. When he was on the field, he played moderately well, posting a career-high .163 ISO and stealing bases much more effectively. However, the plate discipline is still awful; his walk rate dropped to a career-low 2.8% while the strikeouts jumped to an alarming 23%. Despite good all-around tools, Puello does not have the kind of hit tool to absorb such a glaring deficiency -- which means he'll have to make enormous strides if we're ever to believe he can have prolonged success in Double-A, let alone the majors. He's still young, but not so young that we can continue overlooking the major issues with plate discipline -- not to mention injuries -- that threaten to stall his development.

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26. OF Vicente Lupo

Lupo is quickly becoming one of the more buzzed-about names in the Mets system after a 2012 campaign where he posted straight-up video game numbers. Obviously stat lines from the DSL -- or any short-season level -- are taken with a grain of salt; however it's hard to ignore the combination of outstanding power, patience, and raw hitting ability he featured in posting a 1.108 OPS with more walks than strikeouts (46:45). The just-turned 19-year-old Venezuelan possesses some speed, though he profiles as a corner outfielder thanks to a stocky, 6'0", 180 lbs build. Either way, scouts are very high on his offensive potential and if he can approximate that performance in a stateside league, he'll fly up this ranking in 2013.

01-19-2013, 06:41 PM

Sick Of It All

.....continued

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25. 2B Danny Muno

Despite being suspended for 50 games after testing positive for anabolic steroids, the 2011 eighth rounder's profile really doesn't change much in the wake of his 2012 season. As expected, he shifted off of short for good and still looks like a solid bet as a cheap utility infielder who makes a lot of contact, gets on base a ton and steals some bases (I say cheap because he signed for a ridiculous $10,000). His true test will come in Double-A as we already knew his plate discipline was advanced beyond High-A — his 13.7% walk rate in 2012 was third-best among qualified FSL hitters.

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24. OF Juan Lagares

Despite quite different results, the 23-year old Lagares wasn't a drastically different player than the version that hit .350 in '11. Very similar strikeout rate (17%), similarly improving walk rate (6.8%) and good speed on the basepaths (21 sb's). Now a few more homers dropped in for doubles this season, but the main difference was a drop in BABIP from an unsustainable .399 mark in 2011 down to .337 in 2012 -- much more in line with his .329 career mark. Not to mention improved defensive play in his new home in center. In fact, after playing the majority of his games in center in 2012, that storyline will be the key for Lagares' prospect stock going forward. While he's shown the ability to hit some against advanced pitching, he doesn't feature a corner outfield profile due to a lack of home run power.

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23. OF Cory Vaughn

Despite a strong skillset and a major league toolbag there are reasons to pause when discussing the 23-year-old outfielder. Most notably, his .236 career average at High-A. Additionally, his strikeout rate continues to reside well above 20%. Vaughn's other rate stats remain strong: The .219 ISO in 2012 is outstanding, as is the 12% walk rate. All in all, Vaughn seemingly possesses all of the tools needed to project a major league career — from a top tier power/speed mix to a strong eye at the dish — except for perhaps the most important one: his hit tool. Without some major improvement in that area, he just doesn't consistently barrel the ball enough to project as a guy who'll ever hit for much average at the highest levels.

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22. LHP Jack Leathersich

After posting an outstanding 13.88 strikeouts per nine in Savannah in '11, the 22-year old lefty led all qualified Florida State League pitchers with an eye-popping 14.25 mark for St. Lucie in 2012. However, the major difference between the seasons was his overall effectiveness, as he was far more hittable in '12 and even surrendered the first three homers of his career. Now his overall numbers still weren't bad -- subbing out that ugly ERA 4+ with a 2.66 FIP. But the question here is that for a guy known less for his stuff and more for his deceptive delivery, can he make those swing-and-misses translate to the highest levels?

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21. SS Phillip Evans

The 20-year-old '11 15th-round steal showed a lot of the skills that excited people following the draft, including good pull-side strength, good contact skills (14.6 K%), and an excellent eye (9.4 BB%) -- not to mention solid enough range (for now) and plenty of the arm strength needed to stick at short. Going forward he's going to have to not only smooth out the peaks and valleys he experienced this year, but he'll have to translate the strength in his stout frame into more extra-base hits—he had only 14 in 73 games. Additionally, he'll have to find a way to take advantage of the right side of the field, as he's been almost entirely a pull hitter to this point.

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20. OF Wuilmer Becerra

Becerra was the third player acquired from Toronto in the Dickey trade. He is a 17-year-old international free agent, signed by the Blue Jays back in 2011 for the tidy sum of $1.3M -- tied for the largest bonus ever given to an IFA by the Mets to that point (Fernando Martinez, '05). Aside from being considered by many as one of the top righthanded bats in that class, scouts consider him a potential five-tool outfield prospect, featuring plus-plus speed, an advanced offensive feel, and good raw power. Unfortunately, his pro debut was cut short last summer as he was hit in the face with a pitch. However, it's clear that there is a ton of upside here; in fact, some have even opined that Becerra, not d'Arnaud or Syndergaard, could ultimately be the coup of that deal.

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19. SS Ahmed Rosario

In July the Mets signed the 16-year old Dominican shortstop to a club-record $1.75M deal. That's equivalent to a late-first round June draft selection and is actually more than they paid 2012 draftee Kevin Plawecki. IFA and draft dollars aren't exactly one-to-one; however it's clear that Mets brass values Rosario as a premier talent. Fortunately, scouts agree, considering him potentially the top prospect in the DR at the time of the deal. He's viewed as a highly athletic player with a very strong build, good speed, and a potentially impact bat at short -- though his long, lithe frame may ultimately push him to third. In America he'd be a high school junior so obviously he's far away, but based on early reports Rosario could be the top all-around infield talent the Mets have acquired in the international market since Jose Reyes.

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18. RHP Gabriel Ynoa

In his first exposure to A-ball, the 6'2", 158 lb. teenager was nothing short of masterful, striking out six guys for every one walk and allowing just a single home run all summer. What's more, his .213 opponent average was one of the top marks in the NYPL and most impressively, he did all this as one of the five youngest pitchers in the league (For reference, Ynoa is actually two months younger than Brandon Nimmo). Despite the fact that this beanpole righty still offers a lot of projection, he is already touching 93 mph with his pinpoint fastball and features a highly advanced change-up. While Michael Fulmer gets the nod as the Mets best teenage pitcher, Ynoa is the clear choice for second.

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17. OF Matt den Dekker

2012 was a tale of two seasons for the former Gator. Upon return to Binghamton den Dekker absolutely tore apart Double-A pitching to the tune of a .960 OPS. However, upon promotion to Triple-A Den Dekker would go on to lose over .300 points off that OPS -- while watching his strikeout rate skyrocket. He was able to maintain some home run power (.153 ISO), though well below his career norms. Many prospects struggle in their first exposure to a new level; but as a 25-year old, den Dekker has little margin for error -- especially when a nearly 30% strikeout rate indicates a fundamental flaw. On the bright side, his defensive value in center means that he will have an impact on the big league team in some way, shape or form. But at this point the needle is shifting more towards good defensive replacement than everyday outfielder.

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16. RHP Cory Mazzoni

It was a somewhat disappointing full season debut for the 23-year-old out of NC State. While a 3.93 ERA in 26 starts might not look awful, underwhelming key indicators -- like an extremely pedestrian strikeout rate and far too many hits allowed -- were not what we expected from a second round selection with mid-90s heat. The good news is that thanks to his excellent command of premium velocity, Mazzoni does profile well as a late-inning reliever. Unless he begins missing a lot more bats very soon, the natural move may be to transition the smallish righty to the bullpen, where he has the chance to help as early as the 2013 season.

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15. 3B Aderlin Rodriguez

Spending the first half of 2012 back in Savannah, the 21-year-old saw offensive improvements across the board. Specifically, his BABIP rose by over 50 points as he squared up balls much more regularly, allowing for large gains in average and power (see .223 ISO). Perhaps even more promising was the fact that he pushed his walk rate up above 8%, a very good sign for a kid with a lot of swing-and-miss in his game. The fact that he maintained an ISO just below .200 upon promotion to High-A speaks to the quality of his raw power, which is the best in the system. What position he'll play is up for debate as humble defensive gains at third have given way to playing time at first. Regardless, if the 6-3, 210-pound righty can continue to build on the strides he made, he should have more than enough bat for either position at the highest levels.

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14. SS Wilfredo Tovar

2012 was yet another quietly solid campaign for the 21-year old shortstop. In his first extended exposure to High-A he acquitted himself very nicely, posting career highs in both strikeout (6.6%) and walk (11.3%) rates. Following the mid-season promotion to Double-A Tovar scuffled a bit against the more advanced competition as one of the five youngest players in the league but steadied himself by end of year. However, as always, the story with Tovar is about a glove that profiles as a plus major league tool right now -- something that you don't often say about any minor league position player -- especially not at age 21. The only question remaining is whether the bat will allow him to be a valuable everyday player in the mold of Ruben Tejada or a top-notch defensive specialist in the mold of Philadelphia's Freddy Galvis.

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13. C Kevin Plawecki

By season's end the 2012 first round selection — 35th overall — had clearly showed why the Mets valued him so highly. Reports of an advanced approach at the plate came to fruition as he ultimately walked more than he struck out in 2012; his 9.9 BB% was impressive while the 9.5 K% was among the league leaders. Additionally, he balanced that patience and contact with good home run power, leading the Cyclones with seven bombs. He'll need to get some more gap power out of his sturdy 6'2", 205 lb. frame as he knocked just eight doubles all season and slugging just .384, but he shows excellent offensive potential. Additionally, while he's got a strong arm (14/30 CS), he's still got work to do defensively to profile as an everyday catcher at the highest levels.

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12. RHP Jacob DeGrom

The former 2010 ninth rounder was, simply put, the biggest surprise in the Mets farm system in 2012, bursting onto the scene as one of the system's most talented arms. DeGrom was already late to pitching after converting from shortstop in college. Add a Tommy John surgery and he was far behind the development curve. Yet upon returning in 2012 DeGrom didn't miss a beat, posting a 2.43 ERA in 19 A-ball starts. Taking full advantage of his athletic 6'4" build, DeGrom possesses a special fastball that he spots extremely well and lives in the low-to-mid-90s, velocity he holds deep into games. He also possesses a useable slider/change combo, which gives him a chance to start long-term. However, should he falter in the slightest as a starter he could be an asset to a big league 'pen almost immediately.

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11. SS Gavin Cecchini

In 53 games for Kingsport the 2012 12th overall pick showed flashes of his solid all-around ability, mixed with the rawness one would expect from a high school draftee. For that reason there's probably not too much we can, or should, glean from the Louisiana prep product's debut. (This is a case where it pays to acknowledge our lack of data and, to a degree, defer to the organization's choice to pay the kid $2.3M). Cecchini doesn't project as a future standout in any one area of the game -- atypical of such a high selection. Instead, scouts feel that as a true shortstop prospect he's as good a bet as anyone in his age-group to reach the show -- balancing the relatively low reward with less risk as well.

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10. RHP Luis Mateo — Signed with the Mets as in international free agent in 2011.

The 22-year-old was outstanding for the Cyclones in 2012. His name was splashed all over the NYPL leaderboards, leading the circuit in strikeouts per nine (10.43) and placing sixth in walks per nine (1.10). In fact, the Dominican right-hander was the only pitcher in the league who ended up in the top ten in both categories. Simply put, Mateo has a special fastball, on par with some of the best in the system. He regularly worked in the mid-90s and could even dial it up for a few more ticks if need be, showing a plus-major league offering. Paired with a solid high-80s slider, Mateo dominated even when his command was not at its best. Now, his lack of a useable change-up has many forecasting a future late-inning reliever — a role he could fill extremely quickly. Yet, despite a somewhat advanced age due to some drama in his past, the kid has made 25 regular season starts as a professional so I'm not going to put a cap on his long-term role just yet.

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9. RHP Jeurys Familia — Signed with the Mets as an amateur free agent in 2007.

The 23-year-old made his major league debut in 2012, showcasing an outstanding, sinking fastball and excellent -- as well as inconsistent -- secondary stuff in an eight-game preview. While he flashed dominance his central issue was the same one that plagued him in Buffalo, that being command. After watching his walks per nine jump above 3.5 at Double-A in 2011, it continued to rise to an ugly 4.80 mark in 28 Triple-A starts. Otherwise, his final numbers were very promising, including 8.4 strikeouts per nine, a solid 3.78 FIP and one of the strongest starter's groundball rates in the IL. Going forward, Familia's role -- for 2013 and beyond -- remains clouded. His swing-and-miss stuff seemed to translate exceptionally well to relief. Oftentimes I've compared him to the Rangers' Alexi Ogando based on the quality of his fastball/slider mix, as well as the inferiority of his change-up. I could easily envision Familia in a similar role for the Mets, though I'd personally rather see him in Las Vegas to work out the command woes in 2013..

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8. RHP Rafael Montero - Signed by the Mets as an international free agent in 2011.

The 22-year old was a revelation this season, dominating SAL competition by utilizing his trademark surgical command (see, 1.01 walks per nine). Then in eight starts with St. Lucie he got even better, posting a strikeout per nine just a shade under ten. In short, Montero is a highly advanced pitcher who seemed to get better by the day. And I'm not talking about his stuff -- though his low 90's fastball is enough, his slider is useable, and his change-up is already a plus offering. The key is that he has a tremendous feel for mixing his pitches and will truly throw any pitch in any count, showing polish beyond his years. Remember, this kid won an Organizational Sterling Award in the Gulf Coast League in 2011. Some scouts see him as a reliever long-term thanks to his diminutive build (6', 170 lbs is generous). However, while he may not profile as a future ace, I fully expect that he'll continue having success as a starter all the way up the chain.

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7. OF Brandon Nimmo — Drafted by the Mets in the first round of the 2011 MLB Amateur Draft.

The 19-year-old showed off the kind of natural offensive ability in 2012 that justifies the first round selection. Namely, he posted an extremely impressive 14.3% BB rate (fourth among qualified NYPL batters), especially when paired with his ability to drive the ball in a tough lefthanded power environment (see, .158 ISO). In fact, he was one of the circuit's youngest position players for most of the season yet placed fourth in doubles and third in extra-base hits. He did exhibit some expected rawness, namely a very high 24.3% strikeout rate and a .191/.296/.298 mark against lefties. Big, loping strides gave him enough speed for center, however that speed did not show up on the basepaths and some scouts envisioned a long-term move to a corner. Nonetheless, many scouts were enamored with the mix of tools and polish Nimmo showed in his first full season as he solidified his early billing as a potential impact player in the making.

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6. 3B Wilmer Flores — Signed with the Mets as an international free agent in 2007.

In 2012 the 21-year-old demonstrated one of the most advanced hit tools in the entire minors, let alone the Mets farm system, while showcasing the power game we've long awaited as one of the youngest players in Double-A. He continued to make outstanding contact (11% strikeout rate) which, when paired with strong walk rates (7%), consistently put him in good spots to drive the ball. In fact, of any player in Double-A with as low a strikeout rate, Flores ranked second in ISO (.174), trailing only Cardinals uber-prospect Oscar Taveras. The re-emergence of Flores' outstanding bat couldn't have come at a better time as it helped to counteract the continued decline of his defensive value. Finally moving off of shortstop for good, Flores shifted all over the Binghamton infield getting reps at first, second, and third. He'll never offer much in the way of defense, but the good news is that his bat looks like it will play regardless. It's not a huge stretch to imagine Flores as one of the club's better offensive threats by this time next year.

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5. RHP Domingo Tapia — Signed by the Mets as an international free agent in 2009.

2012 saw the 20-year-old take the next step as his historically pedestrian strikeouts per nine figure ticked up to a very strong 8.39, thanks to increased reliance on a four-seamer that regularly hit triple-digits. Paired with his Mejia-esque low-to-mid-90s two-seamer -- perhaps the single best fastball in the system -- the 6'4", 200 lbs righty baffled SAL hitters as he notched the fourth-best swinging strikeout rate in the league among starters. And don't be fooled by the so-so 3.98 ERA; Tapia posted the second-best FIP in the SAL (2.68). He was able to do so while maintaining the league's top ground ball rate and the best part was that he maintained his characteristically strong command (2.65 walks per nine). The only problem is that lagging behind the rest of his repertoire was his slurvy breaking ball, which will have to continue to improve if he's to hold onto a starting profile. The good news is that he's still just 20, absolutely oozes projection, and looks like a high-impact major league arm, whatever the role.

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4. RHP Michael Fulmer — Drafted by the Mets in the first round of the 2011 MLB Amateur Draft.

The 19-year old from Oklahoma was nothing short of spectacular in his first full pro season, posting the fourth-lowest ERA as well as the third-lowest opponent average among qualified starters in the SAL. Oh, and did I mention he was among the five youngest players in the circuit for most of the season? Utilizing a special fastball that works in the low-to-mid 90s — and even touched 97-98 MPH at times — Fulmer overpowered hitters who were on average two years his senior. What's more, the further development of a sharp, mid-80s slider gave him a second potential plus-pitch and an excellent put-away option. The dynamic mix of stuff, youth, and success makes the 6'3", 200 lbs righty one of the biggest stories in the system in 2012 and one of it's best prospects going forward.

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3. RHP Noah Syndergaard — Acquired from the Blue Jays in the trade that sent R.A. Dickey to Toronto in December 2012.

The 20-year-old Texan was almost universally viewed as Toronto's second-best prospect and immediately gave the Mets system a jolt of high-upside pitching talent. Utilizing a mid-90s heavy sinker, a four-seamer that hits 99 MPH and an overhand curve scouts already consider a major league average offering, 6'5", 200 lbs righty has blown away the competition as a pro. In his first full season at Class-A Lansing in 2012, he posted a 2.60 ERA along with a 10+ strikeouts per nine mark and, perhaps most impressively, a sub-3 BB/9 mark; Syndergaard was the only qualifying starter in all of Low-A to do that. As impressive as Michael Fulmer's 2012 season was in Low-A at 19, Syndergaard posted a FIP over a full run lower (2.21) at the same level, also at age 19. Paul DePodesta may have said it best, "You just don't see many guys [Syndergaard's] size at his age command the strike zone the way he has as a professional, especially with big velocity." Syndergaard is on par with Zack Wheeler in terms of his long-term potential.

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2. C Travis d'Arnaud — Acquired from the Blue Jays in the trade that sent R.A. Dickey to Toronto in December 2012.

The Mets newest blue-chipper, the 23-year-old catcher gives Mets fans many reasons to be excited. Offensively, he boasts the kind of power and hitting ability that you rarely see from a catcher. In 2012 he batted .333/.380/.595 with 16 home runs in just 67 games in Triple-A, good for a .262 ISO. The strikeout rate remains around the 20% mark, but with that kind of plus-power it's forgivable. Defensively, he's highly mobile taking advantage of an athletic frame and he's nailed an impressive 30% of runners over the last two seasons. The main issue is the semi-serious back and knee issues he's struggled with as a professional. However, In short, d'Arnaud projects as a future organizational cornerstone behind the plate at the major league level. In many ways he's the perfect fit for this organization in that he immediately addresses a number of deficiencies within the system: The absolute dearth of catching talent, right-handed hitting and premium power. What's more, he should be pushing for a major league role by mid-season in 2013.

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1. RHP Zack Wheeler — Acquired in the trade that sent Carlos Beltran to the San Francisco Giants in July 2011.

In his first full season since the trade that brought him east, the 22-year old showcased the kind of stuff that makes scouts drool. Blessed with a top shelf curve, Wheeler possesses the kind of consistently plus, swing-and-miss secondary offering that most pitching prospects only dream of. Further, his easy, mid-90's fastball has the kind of natural movement that just can't be taught. An 8.45 strikeouts per nine coupled with a .205 opponent average in Triple-A tells you that he could get major league hitters out today. That said, I'd still try to give Wheeler as much of the 2013 season in Las Vegas as possible to try to tighten up that command a bit and continue to firm up the change. However, it's going to be tough to hold him back once he gets going. And that's ok as pitchers with this kind of stuff warrant some degree of learning on the job. I expect we'll see him around the same time we saw Harvey in 2012, around late July to early August.

As usual, thanks to everyone for the enthusiasm and interest, which seems to keep growing every season. It certainly makes the process a lot more enjoyable for me and in my estimation, creates a better experience for the group as a whole. I only know so much, meaning there's a lot that I don't -- and the things that I do are not above question. Which is why the spirited discussion and lively debate are integral to help raise the high-water mark for everyone.

Featuring a young core of homegrown names like David Wright, Ike Davis, Lucas Duda, Jonathan Niese and Matt Harvey, the New York Mets bolstered their farm system with two key trades that yielded right-handed starting pitcher Zack Wheeler from San Francisco in 2011 and catcher Travis d’Arnaud and right-hander Noah Syndergaard from Toronto this offseason.

The latter three names represent the prized trio in the Mets farm system, and two of them (Wheeler and d’Arnaud) can help the parent club this season. Syndergaard was the 38th overall selection in the 2010 First-Year Player Draft out of Legacy High School in Mansfield, Texas.

Here are the top 10 prospects in the Mets’ farm system entering the 2013 campaign:

1) Ranked as the No. 8 overall prospect on the Baseball News Source Top 10 Prospects List for 2013, Travis d’Arnaud is a rarity in today’s game – a catcher who is exceptional behind the plate (with his arm, agility and athleticism) and a run producer at the plate. In 2012, he hit .279/.380/.595/.975 with 16 home runs and 52 RBI in 279 at-bats at Triple-A Las Vegas. His season was shortened by a knee injury, but he is expected to be fully recovered in time for spring training.

2) A power right-hander with a plus fast ball and an improving surve ball and change-up, 22-year-old Zack Wheeler has gradually improved his command since arriving in the Mets organization as part of the Carlos Beltran trade with the Giants in 2011. He split 2012 between Double-A and Triple-A and could make his Major League debut at some point this year.

3) Acquired with d’Arnaud this offseason in the blockbuster deal with Toronto that sent R.A. Dickey to the Blue Jays, 20-year-old Noah Syndergaard was a supplemental first rounder (38th overall) in 2010. The right-hander struck out 122 in 103.2 innings at low Single-A last season and showcases a plus fast ball, curve ball and change-up.

4) The younger brother of Red Sox third base prospect Garin Cecchini, 19-year-old Gavin Cecchini was drafted in the first round (12th overall). Currently a shortstop, his future home could be at second base. Baseball’s equivalent of a gym rat, Cecchini is fundamentally sound and has a high baseball IQ. A contact hitter with gap power, he has speed and is a threat to steal bases.

5) Wilmer Flores is a 21-year-old third baseman out of Venezuela is one of those rare power hitters who consistently make contact. He had a breakout 2012 season when he batted .300 with a .827 OPS, 18 home runs and 75 RBI between advanced Single-A and Double-A.

6) A 23-year-old right-hander out of the Dominican republic, Jeurys Familia has a high 90s fast ball with improving secondary pitches. He spent all of 2012 at Triple-A Buffalo (his first season at that level) where he recorded a 4.73 ERA and a 1.59 WHIP in 28 starts and 137 innings. He has a high ceiling if he improves his command.

7) A supplemental first rounder (44th overall) out of high school in 2011, 19-year-old right-hander Michael Fulmer joined fellow Oklahomans Dylan Bundy (Baltimore) and Archie Bradley (Arizona) as highly regarded pitchers high in the draft that summer. He is working on a change-up to accompany his high 90s fast ball and power slider.

8) A 22-year-old right-hander from the Dominican Republic, Luis Mateo is a hard-thrower who is trying to master a change-up. He was impressive in the short-season New York-Penn League last year (2.45 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, 85 strikeouts, 9 walks, 73.1 innings).

9) Drafted in the first round (13th overall) out of high school in 2011, 19-year-old Brandon Nimmo has the distinction of being the first Major League first rounder out of Wyoming. A left-handed power hitter with speed and plus defense in the outfield, Nimmo has raw skills but an extremely high ceiling.

10) Rafael Montero has packed a lot of suitcases in the last two years as he has climbed the Mets organization ladder. The 22-year-old Dominican right-hander started the 2011 campaign in the Dominican Summer League and has been promoted five times, all the way to where he finished in 2012, at advanced Single-A St. Lucie. He is working on secondary pitches beyond his fast ball, but he has the arsenal to continue his rapid ascent.

Travis d'Arnaud
Rank: 1
ETA: 2013
Position: C
Age: 23, DOB: 02/10/1989
Bats: R, Throws: R
Height: 6' 2", Weight: 195
Drafted: 2007, 1st (37) - PHI
Twitter: @Travisdarnaud
Scouting Grades (present/future): Hit: 5/6 | Power: 5/6 | Run: 3/3 | Arm: 5/6 | Field: 4/5 | Overall: 5/6
If it hadn’t been for some injuries, talk about d’Arnaud as a prospect would have long been a thing of the past and the buzz would be about him as one of the bright young catching stars in the big leagues. In 2012, he was tearing up the Pacific Coast League when he tore the PCL in his left knee. During the offseason, he was traded for an ace for the second time in his career. Initially a Phillies prospect, he was dealt to Toronto in the Roy Halladay deal. This time, he was the key part of a package sent from the Blue Jays to the Mets for R.A. Dickey. When healthy, he has the tools to be a top-flight all-around backstop. He’s agile and athletic with a good arm and has worked hard to improve his throwing. He has the ability to hit for both average and power and is a natural leader behind the plate, skills he should be able to show off in New York soon.

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Zack Wheeler
Rank: 2
ETA: 2013
Position: RHP
Age: 22, DOB: 05/30/1990
Bats: L, Throws: R
Height: 6' 4", Weight: 185
Drafted: 2009, 1st (6) - SF
Twitter: @Wheelerpro45
Scouting Grades* (present/future): FB: 7/7 | Curve: 5/6 | Slider: 5/6 | Changeup: 4/5 | Control: 5/6 | Overall: 6/7
The San Francisco Giants don’t shy away from drafting and developing high-end high school arms so it wasn’t surprising when they took Wheeler early on in 2009. He came to the Mets in the 2011 deal for Carlos Beltran and in his first full season with his new organization, the two-time Futures Game participant reached Triple-A. Wheeler has evolved from more of a thrower into a complete pitcher, one who isn’t far from helping out at the big league level. Tall and projectable, Wheeler is a power pitcher with a feel for three pitches. His fastball is already plus, touching 98 mph, with some sink and he can add and subtract from it. He throws two breaking balls, a curve he’s always had and a newer slider, both of which can be at least above-average. His changeup has improved and should be an average third offering. His command has improved tremendously, perhaps the biggest reason why he’s poised to help out in New York in the near future.

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Noah Syndergaard
Rank: 3
ETA: 2015
Position: RHP
Age: 20, DOB: 08/29/1992
Bats: L, Throws: R
Height: 6' 5", Weight: 200
Drafted: 2010, 1st (38) - TOR
Twitter: @Noahsyndergaard
Scouting Grades* (present/future): Fastball: 6/7 | Curveball: 4/5 | Changeup: 5/6 | Control: 4/5 | Overall: 5/6
Syndergaard had a very successful full-season debut where he made the All-Star team, held hitters to a .212 average and struck out 10.6 per nine innings. He uses his height well, throwing downhill with some movement. Though his fastball is plus, thrown up to 96 mph consistently, he’s more than just a thrower. His power curve has improved as he’s added velocity to it and it could be an above-average breaking ball in the future. He has a power changeup as well, which is still a work in progress, but could give him a third above-average offering. Despite his size, he has an easy delivery and he throws strikes. His combination of stuff, pitchability and aggressiveness on the mound point to a possible future as a frontline starter.

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Brandon Nimmo
Rank: 4
ETA: 2015
Position: OF
Age: 19, DOB: 03/27/1993
Bats: L, Throws: R
Height: 6' 3", Weight: 185
Drafted: 2011, 1st (13) - NYM
Twitter: @You_Found_Nimmo
Scouting Grades* (present/future): Hit: 4/6 | Power: 4/6 | Run: 5/5 | Arm: 5/5 | Field: 4/5 | Overall: 5/6
When evaluating where Nimmo is on the development path, it's important to note that Brooklyn is not a very nice place to hit. Just ask Ike Davis, who hit zero homers in the New York-Penn League at age 21. Nimmo, the Wyoming native who didn't have a high school baseball team, hit six as a raw teenager. There's a lot of raw power to tap into for Nimmo and as he continues to refine his approach, he should have at least above-average pop in games. He does understand the strike zone quite well, so he should hit for average as well. A solid average runner, Nimmo has a good arm and while he has work to do to stay in center field, should be an average defender across the board. The Mets knew it might take Nimmo some time to develop given his experience, but in many ways he's ahead of the curve.

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Jeurys Familia
Rank: 5
ETA: 2013
Position: RHP
Age: 23, DOB: 10/10/1989
Bats: R, Throws: R
Height: 6' 4", Weight: 230
Signed: July 13, 2007 - NYM
Scouting Grades* (present/future): Fastball: 7/7 | Slider: 5/6 | Changeup: 4/5 | Control: 3/4 | Overall: 5/6
There has never been any question about Familia’s arm strength and his ability to generate swings and misses, with his strikeout rate of nearly a batter per inning throughout his Minor League career. He can maintain his mid-90s velocity throughout his starts with good sink. His slider with short bite gives him a very good breaking ball to complement his fastball, and it has a cutter-type action. He shows some feel for a sinking changeup, though he doesn’t throw it much, especially when he’s coming out of the bullpen. His lack of command and the lack of a consistent third pitch makes most thinking a relief role makes the most sense, with the potential to be a future closer.

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Gavin Cecchini
Rank: 6
ETA: 2015
Position: SS
Age: 19, DOB: 12/22/1993
Bats: R, Throws: R
Height: 6' 1", Weight: 180
Drafted: 2012, 1st (12) - NYM
Twitter: @GavinCecchini2
Scouting Grades* (present/future): Hit: 4/6 | Power: 2/4 | Run: 5/5 | Arm: 5/5 | Field: 5/6 | Overall: 5/6
If Cecchini needs advice about the travails of Minor League life, he can ask his older brother, Garin, who was a fourth-round pick of the Red Sox in 2010. Of course his father, who doubled as his high school coach, well-prepared him for the path ahead. Gavin is a scrappy middle infielder who should be able to play shortstop long-term thanks to good range, a solid arm and plus instincts. Those instincts also helps his solid average speed play up on the basepaths. He projects to be a good all-around hitter with the ability to make consistent contact, even if it’s not with that much power. He plays the game the right way and that plus makeup should help him move up the organizational ladder.

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Wilmer Flores
Rank: 7
ETA: 2015
Position: 3B
Age: 21, DOB: 08/06/1991
Bats: R, Throws: R
Height: 6' 3", Weight: 190
Signed: Aug. 6, 2007 - NYM
Scouting Grades (present/future): Hit: 4/6 | Power: 4/5 | Run: 3/3 | Arm: 6/6 | Field: 4/5 | Overall: 4/5
The 2012 season was a big one for the Mets infield prospect. Still very young, Flores made impressive progress at the plate, moving up to Double-A for the first time. He has a knack for making contact and is extremely tough to strike out. His overall approach at the plate improved and that helped him tap into his raw power more consistently. Initially a shortstop, Flores moved around the infield in 2012, spending more time at third than anywhere else, and that's a much better home for him given his lack of quickness. He has good hands and a strong arm, but the lack of range might continue to be an issue. Flores' bat might be ready to contribute soon, regardless of his position.

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Rafael Montero
Rank: 8
ETA: 2015
Position: RHP
Age: 22, DOB: 10/17/1990
Bats: R, Throws: R
Height: 6' 0", Weight: 170
Signed: Jan. 20, 2011 - NYM
Scouting Grades* (present/future): FB: 6/7 | Curve: 4/5 | Slider: 5/5 | Changeup: 4/5 | Control: 5/6 | Overall: 5/6
Since signing out of the Dominican Republic, a bit older than most international prospects, Montero has been on a bit of a fast track. He made three stops during his debut summer in 2011, then kept on going in 2012, pitching at both full-season A-ball affiliates while finishing fourth in the organization in ERA and batting average against. He's not the biggest guy in the world, but there aren't concerns about durability. Montero has a real feel for pitching, often pitching backwards with his slider and quality fading changeup. That doesn't mean he doesn't have a fastball. He can touch 95 mph with a ton of life. He can throw all of them for strikes, which bodes well for his future as a member of a big league rotation.

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Luis Mateo
Rank: 9
ETA: 2015
Position: RHP
Age: 22, DOB: 03/22/1990
Bats: R, Throws: R
Height: 6' 3", Weight: 185
Signed: May 11, 2011
Scouting Grades* (present/future): Fastball: 6/6 | Slider: 6/7 | Changeup: 4/5 | Control: 5/6 | Overall: 5/6
The start of Mateo's career began inauspiciously as he had deals with two other clubs fall apart because of injury and age concerns. After serving a one-year suspension, the Mets were able to sign him, albeit not in his teenage years. He made his United States debut in 2012, putting up gaudy numbers in the New York-Penn League. Mateo has the best slider in the system, a future plus breaking ball with good late break. His fastball is above-average and his control, already solid, will continue to get better. Only his changeup is behind, but he's shown enough feel for it where there's confidence it will be a Major League-average offering. Don't be surprised if he starts moving more quickly through the full-season leagues.

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Michael Fulmer
Rank: 10
ETA: 2015
Position: RHP
Age: 19, DOB: 03/15/1993
Bats: R, Throws: R
Height: 6' 3", Weight: 200
Drafted: 2011, 1st (44) - NYM
Twitter: @MFulmer12
Scouting Grades* (present/future): Fastball: 6/6 | Slider: 5/6 | Changeup: 4/5 | Control: 5/6 | Overall: 5/6
Despite being a high schooler who barely pitched during his summer debut, the Mets felt confident enough in Fulmer’s abilities and maturity to send him straight to full-season ball for his first full year of pro ball. Fulmer responded with an ERA that would have been good for third in the South Atlantic League had he thrown enough innings to qualify. The Oklahoma prepster (coming from the same class as first-rounders Dylan Bundy and Archie Bradley) has the chance to have three Major League average or better pitches with solid command. His fastball and slider combination would be enough to excel in the bullpen, but if his changeup can continue to improve and give him that third pitch, he has every chance to start.

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Domingo Tapia
Rank: 11
ETA: 2015
Position: RHP
Age: 21, DOB: 12/16/1991
Bats: R, Throws: R
Height: 6' 4", Weight: 186
Signed: Dec. 16, 2009 - NYM
Scouting Grades* (present/future): Fastball: 7/8 | Curveball: 3/4 | Changeup: 5/6 | Control: 4/5 | Overall: 5/6
One thing is certain about this tall, lanky Dominican right-hander: He can really throw hard. He has a true plus fastball that has touched triple digits on more than one occasion. He does throw the fastball for strikes fairly consistently, especially for his age. He’s not just arm strength. Tapia has a good sinking changeup that should be an above-average pitch in the future. Whether he can stay in a rotation or have to move to the bullpen might depend on how his big, slurvy breaking ball develops over time. If he can tighten it up, he has the size, stuff and overall feel for pitching to start. If not, that fastball-changeup combination should work well in relief.

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Jacob DeGrom
Rank: 12
ETA: 2014
Position: RHP
Age: 24, DOB: 06/19/1988
Bats: L, Throws: R
Height: 6' 4", Weight: 185
Drafted: 2010, 9th (272) - NYM
Twitter: @JdeGrom19
Scouting Grades* (present/future): Fastball: 6/7 | Slider: 4/6 | Changeup: 5/6 | Control: 4/5 | Overall: 4/6
At first glance, it might be easy to dismiss DeGrom as “too old for his level,” considering he turned 24 in 2012 and pitched at two levels of A ball. But if you take into account that he was a two-way player at Stetson, then missed the 2011 season in the Mets organization following Tommy John surgery, he’s not far behind experience-wise. Now healthy, DeGrom has a fastball that should be a plus pitch and combines it with a potentially above-average slider. He also throws a solid changeup, all of which helped him finish third in the organization in ERA in 2012. If DeGrom can have even just average command, he has a future as a starter, and could start moving more quickly.

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Hansel Robles
Rank: 13
ETA: 2015
Position: RHP
Age: 22, DOB: 08/13/1990
Bats: R, Throws: R
Height: 5' 11", Weight: 185
Drafted: Aug. 21, 2008
Scouting Grades* (present/future): Fastball: 6/6 | Slider: 4/5 | Changeup: 4/6 | Control: 5/6 | Overall: 4/6
Robles has been making incremental progress through the Mets' system since signing, spending two summers in the Dominican Summer League, one in the rookie-level Appalachian League and the 2012 season in the short-season New York-Penn League. He did lead the NY-Penn League in ERA, showing the makings of a very good three-pitch mix with a good idea of how to use it. His fastball is above-average, but it has plus life to it. His other pitches still need refinement, but his changeup could be an above-average pitch and his slider at least average. Add in excellent command and this slightly undersized right-hander has a real chance to be a rotation mainstay.

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Cesar Puello
Rank: 14
ETA: 2014
Position: OF
Age: 21, DOB: 04/01/1991
Bats: R, Throws: R
Height: 6' 2", Weight: 195
Signed: July 2, 2007 - NYM
Scouting Grades* (present/future): Hit: 3/6 | Power: 5/6 | Run: 5/5 | Arm: 6/6 | Field: 5/6 | Overall: 4/6
From a pure raw tools standpoint, no one stands ahead of Puello in the Mets’ organization. He just hasn’t been able to translate those tools into consistent performance just yet. Injuries played a key role in that during the 2012 season as he was limited to just 66 games, though he made up for some lost time in the Arizona Fall League. Puello still has a good deal of raw power and the bat speed to be a good all-around hitter. He needs to really refine his approach at the plate so he can tap into that power, something that has been very slow to come. He has good speed and a very strong arm from the outfield, with the chance to be an above-average defender, either in center or right field. For now, he needs to stay on the field so he can sharpen those tools more.

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Cory Mazzoni
Rank: 15
ETA: 2014
Position: RHP
Age: 23, DOB: 10/19/1989
Bats: R, Throws: R
Height: 6' 1", Weight: 190
Drafted: 2011, 2nd (71) - NYM
Scouting Grades* (present/future): Fastball: 6/6 | Slider: 4/5 | Splitter: 4/5 | Control: 5/6 | Overall: 4/5
The North Carolina State product is already on the fast track, reaching Double-A in his first full season of pro ball. While he might have a somewhat limited ceiling, the right-hander does have the chance to have three at-least-average pitches with above-average control. It starts with his above-average fastball that has good life to it. His secondary pitches both grade out as future average, with a late-breaking slider and a splitter he uses as his offspeed pitch. While he faded down the stretch, he did show the ability to dominate at the Double-A level, giving hope that he may not be too far from being big-league ready, either as a mid-range starter or a very effective reliever if his secondary offerings don't improve.

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Wilfredo Tovar
Rank: 16
ETA: 2014
Position: SS
Age: 21, DOB: 08/11/1991
Bats: R, Throws: R
Height: 5' 10", Weight: 160
Signed: Oct. 12, 2007 - NYM
Scouting Grades* (present/future): Hit: 3/4 | Power: 2/3 | Run: 5/5 | Arm: 5/5 | Field: 6/7 | Overall: 3/5
It took parts of three years, but Tovar finally made it out of A ball in 2012 and he has his sights on New York next. The diminutive infielder can flat out play defense, earning plus grades for his glove work to go along with a solid average arm. He had played second and shortstop in the past, but worked almost exclusively on the left side of the infield in 2012, leaving no doubts about his ability to play the premium position defensively at the highest level. Whether Tovar can be an everyday player will depend on how much he hits. There's no real power there, but Tovar does make consistent contact and rarely strikes out. If it's not enough for him to be a glove-first guy who hits at the bottom of the lineup, he has the skills to have a very long career as a utilityman.

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Kevin Plawecki
Rank: 17
ETA: 2015
Position: C
Age: 21, DOB: 02/26/1991
Bats: R, Throws: R
Height: 6' 2", Weight: 205
Drafted: 2012, 1st (35) - NYM
Twitter: @kplawecki26
Scouting Grades* (present/future): Hit: 3/5 | Power: 4/5 | Run: 3/3 | Arm: 5/5 | Field: 5/6 | Overall: 4/5
The 2012 Draft class wasn't a great one in terms of catching depth, especially from the college ranks, so Plawecki was able to ride a strong junior season at Purdue into the supplemental first round. At Purdue, he was a contact-first, offensive-minded catcher, but he has some obvious strength and should hit for more power in the future (he did hit seven homers, including four at home in Brooklyn -- a tough park for hitters). He may not wow anyone with his skills behind the plate, but he's a solid receiver who works well with pitchers and with an arm that was strong and accurate enough to throw out 32 percent of would-be basestealers during his pro debut. There isn't much catching depth in the Mets' system and Plawecki rises right to the top of that class.

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Matthew Reynolds
Rank: 18
ETA: 2015
Position: SS
Age: 22, DOB: 12/03/1990
Bats: R, Throws: R
Height: 6' 1", Weight: 200
Drafted: 2012, 2nd (71) - NYM
Scouting Grades* (present/future): Hit: 4/5 | Power: 3/5 | Run: 4/5 | Arm: 5/5 | Field: 4/5 | Overall: 4/5
Reynolds played a lot of third base while at Arkansas and while he didn’t necessarily have the offensive profile for the position, many assumed that’s where he’d play as a professional. The Mets, who liked what they saw in his defensive actions, sent him to full-season ball and let him play shortstop, a spot he had played some in the past. They came away pleasantly surprised and will let him play the premium spot again in 2013. He projects as an average defender there, with the knowledge that he’d likely be above-average at third or second in the future. At the plate, Reynolds likes to use the whole field, but there might be more power there that hasn’t shown up yet in games.

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Phillip Evans
Rank: 19
ETA: 2016
Position: SS
Age: 20, DOB: 09/10/1992
Bats: R, Throws: R
Height: 5' 10", Weight: 185
Drafted: 2011, 15th (462) - NYM
Twitter: @PEVANS28
Scouting Grades* (present/future): Hit: 3/5 | Power: 3/4 | Run: 5/5 | Arm: 5/6 | Field: 4/6 | Overall: 4/5
It took a well over-slot deal to get Evans to join the Mets and not head off to San Diego State, but the Mets hope the investment will net them a solid shortstop in the future. He's already improved tremendously in the field since his high school days, projecting to be an above-average fielder with an above-average arm. How much he'll hit will help determine his ultimate role, but he projects to be an average hitter with solid on-base skills to go along with a little extra-base pop.

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German Rosario
Rank: 20
ETA: 2017
Position: SS
Age: 17, DOB: 11/20/1995
Bats: R, Throws: R
Height: 6' 2", Weight: 170
Signed: July 2, 2012 - NYM
Scouting Grades* (present/future): Hit: 3/6 | Power: 3/6 | Run: 5/5 | Arm: 6/6 | Field: 5/6 | Overall: 3/6
Mets fans, want a guy to dream on? Willing to wait a while? Rosario might be worth it. The Dominican shortstop received the largest bonus of any international amateur during the 2012 signing period, with the Mets spending $1.75 million of their $2.9 million pool. While he’s yet to play any official baseball in a Mets uniform, Rosario really stood out among much older players at instructs last fall, showing outstanding defensive ability as well as some serious bat speed that allowed him to hold his own against more advanced pitching than he had ever faced. More than anything, he looked like he belonged. He’s a long way away and there’s a lot of projection when it comes to a player like this, but he has the tools to be the real deal in the future.

This year’s edition of the Mets Top 15 offers far more long-term intrigue than last year’s list. With the addition of Noah Syndergaard, Travis d’Arnaud and Wuilmer Becerra from the RA Dickey trade and the emergence of arms like Rafael Montero, Hansel Robles, Domingo Tapia and Luis Mateo, the system has more depth and several prospects that could breakout to become serious prospects.

1. Zack Wheeler – RHP (Last Year’s Rank: 1)
Wheeler has true front of the rotation potential with excellent physicality, dominating raw stuff and he’s starting to demonstrate improved pitchability. He still runs his fastball up to 98 mph at times and he has good angle to the plate. His curveball is still a plus hammer and his change-up has become a potential average pitch. He added a slider in 2012 and the pitch looked filthy at times. His feel is still coming but if it does, he could front the Mets rotation.

2. Noah Syndergaard – RHP (NR)
The easy answer here would have been d’Arnaud and I may regret not going that direction. That said, as much potential as d’Arnaud offers, the scouts I spoke with regularly this summer were blown away by Syndergaard. He showed impressive feel for pitching to go with monster stuff, giving him at least a three projection and the possibility that could be upgraded to a number two. Syndergaard could start moving quickly in 2013 and could join Matt Harvey and Wheeler in the rotation down the line.

3. Travis d’Arnaud – C (NR)
D’Arnaud gives the Mets their catcher of the future and he should make that impact at some point in 2013. He is an improved defender that is at least average behind the plate and he works well with his pitching staff. Offensively, d’Arnaud is an aggressive swing but he makes it work with good bat-to-ball skills and impressive raw power. Everything exists in d’Arnaud’s profile for him to be an All-Star behind the dish.

4. Gavin Cecchini – SS (NR)
Cecchini was the club’s first round pick last June and is the younger brother of Red Sox third base prospect Garin Cecchini. Gavin isn’t a flashy player but he contributes in every category. His shortstop defense is very good, with the fundamentals, instincts and effort to make it work long term. His bat has some questions but he has a natural sense for hitting, uses the whole field and he could pick up plenty of doubles and 10-12 home runs annually.

5. Michael Fulmer – RHP (6)
There’s a lot of intrigue with Fullmer. He has a power fastball with excellent movement and easy 92-93 mph velocity, touching 95 at times. Though his body looks a little soft, he has good strength and can keep pumping that velo late in games. His slider is a second plus pitch and while he struggles with his change-up, he continues to work with it. Scouts that like Fulmer see a future number three starter.

6. Jeurys Familia – RHP (5)
There are still scouts that believe Familia can start in the big leagues but with his near-elite fastball and plus slider, more scouts see a future in the eighth or ninth inning. He can sit in the 94-96 mph range with his heater and touches 99 at times. His slider misses bats and he will throw it in any count and he even flashes a reasonable change-up at times. Familia could handle the big leagues as a reliever right now but the Mets may try to extract more value and let him refine his game as a starter in the minors in 2013.

7. Wilmer Flores – 3B (13)
Flores is a divisive prospect among scouts. He moved to third base in 2012 but he lacks much range at the position and while his hands work well it just wasn’t pretty last year. Even scouts that like him wonder if he can stay there long term. That defensive profile gives him big problems as it requires his power to fully manifest. He can make easy contact and hit for average but his power just isn’t there for all scouts. He still has some development remaining, including getting into consistently good counts to drive the ball, but unless he does that, the profile is a tough one.

8. Domingo Tapia – RHP (14)
Tapia has a different arsenal than Familia but they have similar long term profiles. Tapia’s fastball can get up to 98 mph and sits in the mid-90s with heavy sink and bore. His change-up is a second plus weapon and he can keep both left-handed and right-handed hitters back with the pitch. He struggles searching for consistency with his slider but it will occasionally show fringy potential. If the slider comes, Tapia has mid-rotation potential or he could settle into the late innings as a reliever.

9. Luis Mateo – RHP (NR)
Mateo was impressive pitching for Brooklyn in 2012, showing 92-94 mph heat and the ability to reach 95-96 on occasion. The high-end velocity wasn’t sustainable in 2012 but the 22-year old could develop the ability to show that more frequently. He throws his slider very hard, sitting at 87-88 with the pitch and showing harder at times. It has exceptional break and is a legit plus pitch with projection remaining. He lacks a change-up and struggles to find the strike zone at times, giving him two glaring weaknesses that must be ironed out for him to remain in the rotation.

10. Wuilmer Becerra – OF (NR)
An additional piece to the RA Dickey trade, Becerra flies under the radar right now but could explode as a prospect in 2013. His 2012 season was cut short because of a pitch to the face but when he’s on the field he shows excellent size, plus raw power and some natural hitting ability. He stood out on the field during instructs and has serious potential.

11. Brandon Nimmo – OF (4)
Yes, I know this seems extreme. Honestly, I’m well aware of that. I scouted Nimmo extensively in 2012 and I didn’t see the explosive tools that were supposed to be on display. Nimmo didn’t fit in center field for me and looked like a corner outfielder, possibly in right field with an average arm. He was a below-average runner down the line and won’t be an impact on the bases. At the plate, he showed a willingness to work counts but lacks barrel control and his swing-and-miss tendencies tend to keep his power from playing in games. Without a center field profile, Nimmo has to hit and for power on a corner, something I’m far from convinced he will accomplish.

12. Rafael Montero – RHP (NR)
Montero has a deep arsenal including a solid-average fastball, and quality secondary pitches. He locates his fastball exceedingly well throughout the strike zone and he can throw strikes with both his slider and change-up. He uses all three pitches in any count and shows good overall pitchability. Montero looks like a number four or five starter in the making.

13. Vincente Lupo – OF (NR)
Lupo still flies under the radar a bit but his bat may change that in the next couple of years. He has good bat speed and the ability to barrel all types of pitches and drive them to all fields. Scouts that are sold on his bat believe he can shows plus hit and plus power down the line. He doesn’t project to fit anywhere outside of left field but if the bat matures as hoped, that won’t be a problem.

14. Hansel Robles – RHP (NR)
Another Mets prospect I got plenty of exposure to this year, Robles has a heavy sinking fastball that can sit in the low-90s, touching 95 at times. He throws strikes but doesn’t always locate within the strike zone. His slider and change-up enter in the same velocity range, necessitating full development of the movement on both to make them truly effective. He has the potential for a three-pitch mix that induces ground balls and works in the back of a rotation.

15. Amed Rosario – SS (NR)
Despite new bonus restrictions in 2012 the Mets were aggressive on the international market, giving Rosario a $1.75 million signing bonus at the opening of the J2 signing period. He fits well at shortstop right now but his 6-foot-3 body could fill out enough to move him to third base. He has hitting projection and plenty of raw power, allowing him to profile at either short or third base. Rosario is light years from the big leagues but his potential is highly intriguing.

The New York Mets’ top prospect list is a lot stronger now than it was when the off-season began, thanks to the R.A. Dickey trade with Toronto that brought two of the club’s Top 3 prospects into the system. The club lacks impact bats but it has a plethora of high-ceiling arms.

Organizations have to make bold moves at times when trying to win championships and the Mets’ top prospect list has benefited from that, both with the R.A. Dickey trade with Toronto, as well as the deal that saw veteran outfielder Carlos Beltran head to the San Francisco Giants, an organization that has won the World Series in two of the past three seasons. That latter trade netted Wheeler, a pitcher with the upside of a No. 1 or 2 starter.

The right-hander has plus fastball velocity that sits in the mid-90s and touches the upper 90s. He also flashes a plus curveball, a solid slider and a changeup that should become at least average. When asked about Wheeler’s stuff, a talent evaluator had very good things to say about his fastball-curveball combo, “They’re going to generate a lot of swings and misses,” he said. Wheeler has an easy delivery and get a solid downward plane on his offerings with at least average command and control. The contact I spoke with said the pitching prospects biggest needs are to improve his changeup, continue to become more efficient and learn when/how to properly use his weapons.

Wheeler, 22, spent the majority of 2012 in double-A before receiving six late-season starts in triple-A where he performed quite well. He’ll return to triple-A but will face a stiffer test while pitching in the offense-boosting Pacific Coast League. The Georgia native is almost ready to assume a permanent role in the big league rotation and that could come as soon as mid-to-late 2013. Wheeler and Matt Harvey could form a tantalizing one-two punch for years to come at the top of the starting rotation.

Additional Notes

As I stated Monday, I love what Wheeler brings to the rotation. Over the years he has simplified the moving parts in his mechanics and features arguable the best fastball in the minors. Add in a slider, curveball and changeup that are all average or better and the you’ve got the second or third best starter in the minors. Mets fans will never bad mouth Carlos Beltran again after they witness Wheeler’s greatness this summer. (JD Sussman)

The young catcher entered 2012 as the Jays’ top prospect and he did nothing to change the lofty status, although a knee injury ended his season prematurely in June. Had he not been injured, d’Arnaud likely would have made his big league debut last year when MLB incumbent J.P. Arencibia suffered a fracture in his hand. After the season, Toronto shocked the industry by acquiring NL Cy Young award winner R.A. Dickey but it cost them the talented catching prospect

d’Arnaud has the potential to be both an above-average hitter and fielder. He has enough power to predict 15 home runs in his prime and he could hit for a decent average, thanks to his good bat speed and short stroke. Behind the plate, the California native shows an above-average arm that helps him control the running game and he’s at least average in every area, including blocking, receiving and game calling. One talent evaluator said the prospect was close to being ready for the big leagues and the trade to New York gives him a much clearer path to a big league job — especially after both Josh Thole and Mike Nickeas were included in the Dickey deal.

When I saw d’Arnaud play I was a little surprised by his lack of energy on the field – both on offense and defense. With that said, he showed good athleticism sliding to his right to block a wild pitch and also while fielding a ball out in front of home plate. In speaking with the New York organization, I was told that — in a perfect world — d’Arnaud would be allowed to gain a little more seasoning at the triple-A level before assuming the full-time gig at the big league level, but a strong spring could force the club’s hand.

Additional Notes

The Mets top prospect is a strong, sturdily build right handed hitter with considerable upside. In a perfect world, d’Arnaud projects make numerous all-star games on the back of plus power and defense. But, it’s hard to say that will happen. Injuries have cost him valuable experience and hindered his development making is future more uncertain than most top prospects. (JD Sussman)

Syndergaard has come a long way since being considered a “signability pick” during the 2010 draft. A late bloomer in high school, the tall Texan’s velocity now sits in the mid-to-upper 90s and can touch triple-digits. He also possesses above-average control for both his age and experience level. Those attributes made him attractive to New York and he was an impressive addition to the organization during the R.A. Dickey trade that also netted the organization its No. 2 prospect in catcher Travis d’Arnaud.

The issue with the right-hander, though, is his secondary stuff. Both his curveball and changeup currently grade out as below average and questions remain about their future potential. A talent evaluator asked about Syndergaard’s secondary stuff commented, “The curveball has come a long, long way… it is, at times, average,” He also stated that the young pitcher is toying with a slider and referred the changeup as “OK.” If the secondary pitches don’t improve then Syndergaard could develop into a shut-down, high-leverage reliever who could dominate on the strength of his ground-ball-inducing fastball.

When I saw him pitch in May it looked like he was getting out in front of the curveball and dragging his arm behind him — making it almost impossible for him to throw it for strikes. He also was not doing a good job of holding base runners. The tall Texan should move up to the Florida State League in 2013 and could eventually join a dominate, hard-throwing young staff with the likes of Matt Harvey and Zack Wheeler.

Additional Notes

Two weeks ago we had a great discussion about Syndergaard. He works off a two pitches, a big fastball that will make him a ground-ball machine at higher levels and an above average change. It will be interesting to see how the Mets handle the young right hander after the Blue Jays were cautious. (JD Sussman)

Flores is one player that perhaps suffers from Over-Exposed Prospect Syndrom. Signed at 16, Flores — now 21 — has been on top prospect lists since that time and has developed at a steady pace. A former shortstop, he’s now splitting time between second base and third base. After spending parts of five years in A-ball and below, Flores finally reached double-A in the second half of 2012 during a breakout season. At that level, the young Venezuelan hit more than .300 and started to tap into his raw power more consistently than ever before. He does a nice job of barrelling the ball and making contact, but he’s still too aggressive at times, and could stand to improve his pitch selection when looking for balls to drive.

In the field, the 6’3” infielder just got too big for shortstop, where his range dwindled. He doesn’t have the body of a prototypical second baseman but he turns the double play OK. Ideally, he’s best suited for third base where his strong arm helps make up for his average range. His ideal position would probably be first base but his right-handed power would be just average. A strong spring could ensure a triple-A assignment for Flores in 2013. He could reach the majors by the end of the year, if a spot opens up. When asked about his future in the organization, a Mets contact stated, “We’re still very excited about him.”

Despite having a small frame, Montero has dominated the low minors and provided 122 innings of work in 2012 while splitting the year between two A-ball levels. The right-hander dials his fastball up into the low-90s but can touch 94-95 mph. His repertoire also includes a promising slider and a developing changeup. He basically came out of nowhere last year, and a talent evaluator said, “He’s a guy that, a year ago, was a sleeper… I’m really surprised he hasn’t gotten more attention…He absolutely looks like he belongs.”

Montero’s stuff plays up because he has above-average command and plus control. The contact I spoke with referred to the right-hander’s command as “plus-plus” and commented that the hitters don’t see the fastball well out of his hand. The 22-year-old also has an easy delivery and a clean arm. Although Montero made just eight games in high-A ball, he should move up to double-A to begin 2013. He has the ceiling of a No. 3 starter. The contact I spoke with had high praise for the young Latin player: “He has a really advanced feel on the mound and for the hitters and what they’re trying to accomplish.”

Fulmer is another member of the dominating 2011 Oklahoma prep pitching class that also included Baltimore’s Dylan Bundy and Arizona’s Archie Bradley. The Mets prospect has a big strong pitcher’s frame but he doesn’t leverage it enough to produce a strong downward plane on his pitches and he works up in the zone too much. A contact I spoke with said Fulmer struggled to reach the fifth inning in the first half of the season, due to high pitch counts, but improved in the second half when he realized pitching was about more than just getting swings and misses.

Fulmer, 20, could stand to smooth out his delivery, which should help him improve his command but his control is OK. His stuff is quite good, with a low-to-mid-90s fastball, a potentially-plus slider and a changeup that remains a work-in-progress. He should move up to high-A ball in 2013 and could eventually join a talented rotation that could also include Matt Harvey, Zack Wheeler, and Noah Syndergaard.

Familia, a Dominican Republic native, was quite durable in 2012 at the triple-A level, pitching 137 innings over 28 starts, but his overall results were less than stellar after a promising ’11 season. Familia, 23, has a fastball that works in the mid-to-upper 90s and his slider is above-average.

His lack of a consistent changeup, control issues and delivery all suggest a relief role is in the cards for the hard thrower. He showed flashes of developing into a high-leverage reliever during a big league stint with the Mets in 2012. I’m told Familia will be given every opportunity to break camp with the big league club in 2013 — as a reliever. A talent evaluator likened Familia’s situation to that of Texas’ Alexi Ogando and stated, “He’s another guy with power stuff… He made some pretty good [MLB] hitters look bad.” If he fails to crack the 25-man roster, though, he could eventually move back to the starting rotation, depending on the club’s needs.

Mateo joins Rafael Montero as a breakout (of nowhere) prospect from 2012. A couple steps behind his fellow Dominican Republic native on the organizational ladder, Mateo his a solid fastball in the low-to-mid-90s and backs it up with plus command and control. He also has a solid slider that helped him dominate young competition. A contact I spoke with referred to the breaking ball as “an absolutely wipe-out slider… It’s a big-league pitch right now.” He also cautioned, though, that Mateo needs to learn to not rely on it so much.

Mateo is a little behind the eight-ball in terms of his development after he had two contracts voided and a one-year suspension for falsifying his age.The soon-to-be-23-year-old could skip over low-A ball and open the year in the Florida State League with a strong spring training. His lack of a reliable off-speed pitch could continue to be an issue in his quest to develop into a mid-rotation starter. If he cannot find a reliable changeup, Mateo could end up as a high-leverage reliever capable of shutting the door in the ninth inning.

Additional Notes

I’ve read mixed reported about Luis Mateo but when I saw him in Brooklyn he showed an above average mid 90s fastball and an average slider. He profiles best as a fast moving relieve pitcher because he losses velocity quickly, lacks a third pitch, and has a lot of recoil in his delivery. (JD Sussman)

Tapia is yet another young, hard-throwing arm in the Mets system. He throws a mid-to-high-90s fastball with excellent movement and commands the ball surprisingly well. His second best pitch is a changeup and his breaking ball — a slider — is inconsistent. His control is good.

Tapia, 21, has an impressive frame for a pitcher and he induces crazy-good ground-ball rates, in part because of the leverage he gets from his 6’4” frame. His combination of velocity and worm-burning rates is enticing, although the lack of a breaking ball could eventually place him in the bullpen. One talent evaluator I spoke with gave a Roberto Hernandez (formerly known as Fausto Carmona) comp. “He may not be a big strikeout guy… but I think he’ll get plenty of outs.” Tapia will move up to high-A ball in 2013.

On the surface, Nimmo’s 2012 season doesn’t look that impressive — mainly because of the low batting average and high strikeout rate, but he’s come a long way in a short period of time. The outfielder, selected out of a Wyoming high school in 2011, was extremely raw when he was selected in the first round of the draft. He was also playing a very tough home ball park in the New York Penn League and a contact told me that the wind often comes straight in from right field. He pointed to Ike Davis’ year in the league, which resulted in zero home runs in 58 games.

Nimmo, soon-to-be 20, needs to jump on good pitches to hit when they’re made available to him. He racks up walks but is too passive at times. He shows good gap power but his eventual home-run potential is debatable. A left-handed hitter, he struggles against southpaws. In the field, he has a chance to develop into an average-or-better fielder with a solid arm. The contact I spoke to said the prospect could be a solid center-fielder or a plus corner outfielder. Nimmo should make his full-season debut in 2013 but will move slowly.

Additional Notes

The Mets have oversold Nimmo’s athleticism but he is an interesting package. His approach is passive, he is content letting pitch after pitch go by as he waits on a fastball, preferably low in the zone. His pitch recognition needs considerable work and presently undermines his hit tool. Power could be his carry tool, it has the potential to be plus. Right now Nimmo is very raw and a full season assignment would be aggressive. But I don’t see the Mets keeping him in Brooklyn either. (JD Sussman)

Cecchini was the Mets’ first round draft pick in 2012 and his brother Garin Cecchini is a talented prospect in the Red Sox system. The younger Cecchini is not flashy but he has solid all-around skills. In the field, he’s a steady fielder at shortstop with solid range and good actions. His arm is just average. As a contact said, “There is no question that he’ll stay there.” A broken finger caused him to DH for part of the season.

Cecchini, 19, is a solid hitter and profiles as a No. 2 hitter. He could hit for a decent batting average and possesses solid gap power but little home-run strength. He’s a good base runner but has just average speed. The contact I spoke with said Cecchini is very instinctual, plays with good energy and is a natural leader. The Louisiana native should open 2013 in low-A ball after a strong fall instructional league, and is easily the Mets’ shortstop of the future.

Additional Notes

I understand why Cecchini doesn’t get a lot of respect, he isn’t a tool-shed like many highly ranked shortstops. But, his upside his higher than many give him credit for. He has average tools across the board with a chance for an above average or better hit tool as a shortstop. Frankly, that’s an exciting package. (JD Sussman)

A second-round pick from the 2011 amateur draft, Mazzoni reached double-A in his first full season. The right-hander was durable in ’12 with 144 combined innings between high-A and double-A. His stuff has improved in recent years and he can now hit the 93-95 mph range with his heater. He has a very good slider but he lacks a reliable third pitch (a splitter).

Mazzoni, 23, has above-average control but is still learning to consistently command his three-pitch repertoire. I’d also like to see him stay on top of the ball better and induce more ground-ball outs. A contact I spoke with said Mazzoni is a strike-thrower who is very aggressive in the zone, but threw perhaps too many strikes in double-A. He could develop into a solid No. 3 or 4 starter if he can round out his repertoire. If not, he could end up in the bullpen.

DeGrom, 24, was drafted in 2010 but pitched only 26 innings prior to 2012 thanks to Tommy John surgery. The right-hander recovered well and flashes a 93-96 mph fastball. His secondary stuff has been stunted by his time off but his slider shows potential. His changeup needs a fair bit of work.

DeGrom has above-average control and a strong start to the 2013 season could help him reach double-A in the coming year, if he can get off to a fast start when he returns to high-A ball. He has a solid pitcher’s frame and, if he can put his injury history behind him, DeGrom could develop into a No. 3 or 4 starter. If his changeup doesn’t come along as hoped, though, he could find himself in the back-end of the bullpen.

Plawecki’s well-rounded game helped him go 35th overall to the Mets in the 2012 amateur draft. He has a solid offensive approach and should hit for a good average because he makes above-average contact; he actually walked more than he struck out during his debut in the New York Penn League. The Purdue alum has flashed some power and could develop average or better power.

Behind the plate, Plawecki is a solid receiver and calls an OK game. He doesn’t have the strongest arm but he does a nice job of throwing out base runners (32% in his debut) due to solid mechanics. The Indiana native could skip over low-A ball and open his first full season in high-A. He could develop into the Mets’ starting catcher of the future.

Additional Notes

Plawecki was far too advanced for short-season ball. He has an excellent approach but it’s a contact orientated swing which doesn’t get his lower half involved. Because he’s a catcher he doesn’t need to be a slugger to carve out a major league career, but at best I see him as a second division starter. (JD Sussman)

One of my favorite under-the-radar prospects in the system, Leathersich reached high-A ball in his first full pro season. He’s been dominant since turning pro with 139 strikeouts in 84.2 innings of work. His ERA in high-A was a little high but he allowed almost one-third of his runs in two of his 26 outings. Leathersich’s fastball works in the 90-94 mph range and he has an above-average curveball. His changeup is below average.

Leathersich, 22, is a southpaw that can hold his own against right-handed hitters because of his deception and the movement on his heater. He has a chance to be a solid seventh- or eighth-inning reliever. He should open 2013 in double-A and could reach the majors by the end of the season if he continues to hold his own against right-handed hitters.

03-22-2013, 08:37 AM

Claymation

The Mets Minor League and prospect Thread 2013 Edition

Let's try to keep all minor league and prospect related stuff in here.

Quote:

Mets minor league parks tend towards extreme offensive environments

Baseball America released their three-year park factors for every minor league stadium in full-season ball this week, and it's no real surprise to see Mets affiliates at the the tippy-top and very bottom of the spectrum. First, let's go to the raw numbers. Keep in mind that for park factors, 100 is neutral. Lower than that means the park favors pitchers, higher favors batters.

Las Vegas (AAA: 12.81 Runs/Game (6th most in all of the minors), Park Factor of 109

These listed park factors are relative to league, not all of minor league baseball, so while St. Lucie and Binghamton have almost identical runs/game, St. Lucie has a higher park factor, because the Florida State League on the whole is a lower offensive environment.

It's no surprise to see Las Vegas near the top of the list in runs per game. The Mets preferred to avoid Vegas and the PCL in general for just this reason. Overall, the Pacific Coast League ranked second only to the California League in hitter-friendliness, and of the five teams ahead of Las Vegas in runs per game, three were from the PCL Pacific Division. Overall the league had six of the top ten offensive environments in all of minor league baseball.

It's also not much of a shock to see Savannah at the bottom of this list. Historic Grayson Stadium gets a closer look from BA, but to sum up, the combination of high fences, big power alleys, proximity to sea level, and the humid Georgia air all combine to create the most pitcher-friendly park in full-season baseball. And having been to Savannah myself, I can confirm that it is a massive, massive park, especially in those power alleys. To try and make this a little more concrete, let's look as Mets prospect Aderlin Rodriguez, who has the most raw power of any player in the system. He posted a .782 OPS in Savannah and a .891 OPS on the road in 2012. Another minor leaguer with some real pop in his bat, Travis Taijeron, slugged almost 200 points higher away from Historic Grayson Stadium.

Of course you should always take minor league stat lines in general with a healthy dose of NaCl, and a low park factor doesn't mean that Domingo Tapia and Michael Fulmer were mere products of their environment or that Aderlin Rodriguez's swing will work at higher levels. But it is important to calibrate your expectations when looking at minor league box scores. There's no need to panic if Brandon Nimmo is slugging .370 at the South Atlantic League all-star break, and likewise no need to bang a drum for a Juan Lagares promotion if he's leading the PCL in hitting.